


I Want to Live, Not Just Survive

by VampireWithASoul



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural (TV) Fusion, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 17:06:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 141,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14919407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampireWithASoul/pseuds/VampireWithASoul
Summary: Sarakiel, the Archangel that was left out of the Bible. The "baby sister" of the Archangels, she is shocked when she is removed from her normal duties to watch over two humans. With the help of her vessel, Kat, and her most loyal Captain, Castiel, Sarakiel is charged with the protection of Dean and Sam Winchester. Rated M for Language and later chapters. DeanxOC/CasxOC





	1. Suspicious in Paradise

I own Sarakiel and Vasa. I do not own Supernatural.

Sarakiel had had a…. rough life…to say the least. Humanity refused to acknowledge her, despite the best efforts of her family. She appeared numerous times in history, both with and without her brothers. She was the one who told the shepherds that her half-brother was born. Her and Gabriel were often seen together. No matter what, though, not even so much as a mention in the Bible.

When her brother Lucifer fell, she was completely heartbroken. While they hadn't been the closest, he was still her brother and she loved him. Then, Gabriel disappeared, leaving Michael and Raphael in charge. Michael, the oldest of the five siblings, took command, with Raphael being a loyal lieutenant. Sarakiel quietly took to work managing Heaven, burying herself in it to control her emotions. Part of her focus was on the garrisons around Earth. The garrison protecting prophets was where most of her attention was for hundreds of years, though she spent more time dealing with false prophets than real ones. Through it all, one angel kept her attention: their captain, Castiel. His loyalty to Heaven never came in to question, nor did his willingness to protect humanity as God wanted. Often, his methods were far less destructive than some other angels, and she was grateful for that. He and Sarakiel spent many a night talking, usually about work. However, there were rare nights where they could just talk about anything. They became close friends, often leaning on each other when things became too much.

Which is why today was so hard.

Sarakiel was going over the work of a garrison, her light brown hair tied back in a ponytail, keeping it away from her gray eyes, when her lieutenant knocked on her door.

"Archangel, we have orders," she said. The door opened and a lithe angel with solemn brown eyes and black hair named Vasa walked in. Vasa always had a serious look on her face, her hazel eyes constantly scanning reports and dealing out duties and orders that Sarakiel gave her. This time, though, Vasa looked worried.

"Orders from whom?" Sarakiel asked, reaching for the file in Vasa's hands.

"Him," she replied, handing the file over. Sarakiel stopped, her hand barely holding the file. Normally, if things came from Michael or Raphael, Vasa would say so. Saying 'Him' meant….

"Father?" she asked softly. Vasa merely nodded. Sarakiel took the file and started to read it. The more she read, the harder her heart beat.

"The demon Lilith is trying to release the seals on Lucifer's cage. She's trying to set him free," Sarakiel said as she read.

"There are two hunters that are needed to help stop it: Sam and Dean Winchester," Vasa continued. Sarakiel flipped a page, and the boys' profiles were in front of her. Dean and his younger brother, Sam, came from a family of hunters. John and Mary Winchester were very good at what they did, but Mary was killed by a demon named Azazel when Sam was still an infant. The boys and their father hunted this demon for most the boys' lives, along with other monsters. Sam left for college when he was 18, and he and Dean didn't see each other for 3 years. Sam was set to interview for law school at Stanford when he saw Dean again. Their father had gone missing, and they teamed up again to find them. When Sam returned, Azazel attacked and killed his girlfriend, Jess. The two successfully hunted and killed Azazel eventually, along with many others. A closer examination of Dean's file revealed that he had been killed four months ago, and was trapped in Hell. Orders were to go and get him.

"Very well. I'll mobilize a garrison," Sarakiel said, closing the file.

"A garrison already left," Vasa said.

"Which one?" Vasa didn't immediately answer, not making eye contact with the archangel. "Vasa? Which garrison?"

"Castiel's," Vasa replied. Sarakiel stood up abruptly, her eye wide with fear.

"Thank you, Vasa," she said quietly, dismissing her lieutenant. Once Vasa was out of the room, Sarakiel searched for the angel in question. "Castiel," she said. Two seconds later, he appeared.

"Archangel?" he said, confused.

"Castiel, who gave you the order to mobilize?" Sarakiel said, not bothering with a greeting or any friendly banter.

"The orders came from God," Castiel replied, still confused.

"He sent the order to you before he sent it to me?" She was furious. "And he sends my best without telling me?" She kicked her chair away from the desk and punched the wall, leaving a dent. As she stood facing the dented wall, heaving for breath, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her head whipped around and she was face to face with Castiel, a sympathetic look in his eyes.

"Sara," he said softly. Hearing his rough voice speak her nickname shocked her out of her anger. Her shoulders slumped as she sighed.

"I'm sorry, Castiel. I'm not angry with you. My outburst was uncalled for," she said.

"You're concerned for me, I understand," Castiel replied. "But you must have faith."

"Faith in my Father?" Sara asked.

"Faith in me," he said softly. She looked at him, her eyes wide. "Have faith that I will do what I have been asked to do, and that I will do it well. You always trusted me before."

"It's not that I don't trust you, Castiel," Sara said. "I'm worried. Do you know what happens to angels who fight their way in to that place? What happens when they…raise a hell bound soul?"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take to do my Father's will," Castiel replied. Sara gave a laugh, smiling wryly.

"The one time I want you to find another way, you follow orders to the letter. Who are you, and what have you done with Castiel?" she joked. Castiel grinned, laughing slightly at the irony. He took Sara's hands in his own and squeezed them gently. "Come back safe," Sara said.

"Is that an order?"

"No. Promise me that you'll come back safe." Sarakiel locked eyes with him. He nodded, and embraced her.

"I promise, Sarakiel," he said. Hearing her full name gave her a warm feeling. Then, an idea struck her. Flicking her right sleeve, she drew her own Angel blade. An Archangel blade is a special one, far more powerful than that of a normal angel, or even that of a Seraph. Taking Castiel's left hand, she pressed the hilt of her blade into his hand.

"Take this with you," she said. Castiel was shocked.

"Sara, this is…" he said, just looking at the brilliant silver blade.

"It will make me feel better knowing I'm doing what I can to protect you and our brothers and sisters," Sara said, closing his hand over the hilt. Castiel held it up, his bright blue eyes scanning the shining blade.

"Are you certain?" he asked, still unsure.

"It gives you a good reason to come back," Sara replied with a smile. "We can't have a demon getting ahold of that, now can we?" Castiel nodded, still studying the powerful weapon. He put it away and handed his blade to her.

"I cannot leave you unprotected," he said. Sara smiled and took his blade.

"Thank you, Castiel," Sara replied. They embraced once more, and he was gone. Sara looked at the Angel blade in her hands. It was far weaker than hers, but she knew that she would be just as effective with it if the need arose. She gripped the hilt and held it to her chest.

"Be safe, brother," she said softly.

As promised, Castiel returned to Heaven after his task had been completed. They both were saddened by the loss of a few angels, and shared a moment of silent prayer for their fallen brothers. Sarakiel hated sending anyone out to do work like this. Each brother and sister was dear to her, especially the ones that specifically served her. But, she reminded herself, it's part of our duty to serve Heaven and Earth. Furthermore, Castiel's work was far from done.

"You're being reassigned to the Winchesters. Keep close to them, and guide them through keeping the seals…sealed," Sarakiel said to him after the debriefing. Castiel merely nodded, and then handed her back her blade.

"It served me well," he said with a grin.

"I don't suppose I can talk you into keeping it while you're working with the boys?" Sara asked him softly. Castiel took her right hand and pressed the hilt into her palm, closing her fingers around it.

"As you said, we do not need a demon to possess this," he said just as softly. Sara closed her eyes as she felt the familiar weight and warmth of her blade settle in to her hand. The sensation of Castiel's hands on her own was far more prominent. She willed the blade to vanish, and felt heat rise to her face as Castiel's hands enclosed her own. A small smile crossed her face as she opened her gray eyes and gazed into his blue ones.

"I prayed for you…every night that you were gone," she murmured.

"I know. I could hear you," Castiel replied. "It gave me strength." Sara's smile became wider. Then, the two angels suddenly realized just how close their faces were to each other. Sara could feel his warm breath on her face, and she was certain that Castiel could feel hers. She subconsciously bit her lower lip, her eyes falling to his lips.

"Archangel?" Vasa's voice cut through the reverie. "Michael is here to see you." Sara sighed and looked up at Castiel. Disappointment was clear in his eyes and on his face. He released her hand, and she gave it a flick, drawing Castiel's blade.

"Here," she said, holding the hilt out to him. "I never had to use it, thank Father." Castiel took it and stowed it away. Impatient as always, Michael burst into her office.

"You really shouldn't keep me waiting, little sister," he spat, swaggering in, and plopping himself down in a chair in front of her desk. Sarakiel sighed.

"And you shouldn't interrupt me when I'm working, brother," she retorted. Turning back to Castiel, she resumed her business-like tone. "You have your orders, Castiel. I will call for you if I need you."

"As you wish, Archangel," Castiel replied.

"Godspeed, brother," she said. Castiel nodded, and was gone. With a sigh, she turned to her older brother. "Michael, I was busy."

"Yes, I can see that," he said, grinning at the spot where Castiel had been moments before. "You should be careful about favorites, Sarakiel." Sarakiel bristled at the comment.

"Don't you dare question my professionalism, Michael," she spat. "Castiel is my brother, and close friend. I show concern for him due to the danger of the mission he's on."

"That's actually why I'm here," Michael replied, standing. "The Winchesters. We need to make sure that they stay alive. They are very important in the events to come." Sarakiel frowned.

"Events to come? Michael, what are you talking about?" she asked. Michael shook his head, a sad smile on his face.

"That's all you need to know, baby sister," he said. He gently placed his right hand on her jawline, cupping her face. Sarakiel didn't flinch, but something about what he said unnerved her.

"Michael, if you've put us in danger for any reason," she began, but he placed a finger on her lips, silencing her.

"Everything will be as it should be, Sarakiel," he said. "Just ensure that the Winchesters are kept safe and alive. That is your top priority, understand?"

"But Michael, the garrisons…"

"Raphael can handle them. Your concern is the Winchesters," Michael cut her off.

"Michael…"

"Do you understand, Sarakiel?" She flinched at his tone. He was holding her face with both hands, forcing her to look him in the eyes. After a moment, she looked down, defeated.

"Understood, brother," she said quietly. He kissed her on the forehead and left. Sarakiel watched him go, her hands balled into fists so tightly that she had cut herself. Michael is up to something, she thought furiously. And he's involving my people. Her mind then flew to the boys and Castiel.

"Father," she said, unsure if He could hear or not. "Please watch over them. All of them."


	2. Descent

I own Sarakiel and Kat. Everything else belongs to their respective owners. Contains hints of the plot of Season 4 Episode 3, In the Beginning.

Castiel had taken Dean Winchester through time, showing him what the Heaven knew of his mother's death. While he was doing that, Sarakiel was keeping an eye on the younger Winchester, Sam. The boy had some psychic gift that allowed him to exorcize demons without the use of a spell. The problem was that he had begun drinking demon blood to strengthen his power, at the insistence of his friend, the demon Ruby. She was practically glued to his side, so getting down there to speak with him was almost impossible. Finally, one night, Ruby had gone out on beer run. Sarakiel practically jumped out of her seat to go down to him. Her vessel, a young pagan girl named Kat, was ready for her when she arrived.

"Hello, Sara," Kat said when she felt her arrival. "You know the irony of me being your vessel still makes me laugh, right?" Sarakiel smiled. Though a practicing witch, Kat was a very accepting and open minded person, and knew that being Sara's vessel allowed the Archangel to do some good while she was on Earth. 'Good Karma', as she put it. Sara gently slipped into the body. As she settled, she snapped her fingers and changed her clothes from the pajamas that she was wearing to a pair of jeans, black sneakers, a red t-shirt, and black denim jacket. Sara took off the glasses she had on and examined them. The simple black frames held horrendously thick lenses. Her eyesight has gotten worse, Sara thought, making a mental note to at least make it a little better later. After a glance in the mirror to check her appearance, and slipping the glasses in her pocket, Sara took off.

A flutter of wings announced her arrival in Sam's room.

"Hello, Sam," she said simply. Sam fell off of the bed in surprise, scrambling for the gun he kept on the nightstand. Sarakiel watched calmly as he finally got a hold on the weapon, and raised it, pointing it at her.

"Who are you?" he demanded. The Archangel raised her hands to show that she was unarmed.

"Relax, Sam," she said, keeping her voice soft and soothing. "My name is Sarakiel."

"How do you know my name?" he asked, not relaxing his grip on the gun.

"I am an angel of the Lord," she said, opting to not let him know of her actual status right away. "Heaven knew about you before you were conceived."

"An angel? Like….wings, white robe, lyre…?" Sam asked, his grip relaxing slightly. Sarakiel grinned.

"Wings, yes, though they can't be seen by humans. White robe and lyre? Not so much," she chuckled, slightly amused and glancing down at her appearance. "I've been told I'm quite the singer, though," she added as an afterthought. In the back of her mind, she imagined Gabriel laughing at the snarky remark. A pang of sadness for her missing brother stung for a moment before she focused on Sam, who was still on edge.

"What do you want?" Sam asked.

"I came here to warn you," she said. "Your friend, Ruby? She's leading you down a path that only leads to sorrow."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused. Just as Sara opened her mouth, Ruby returned. Sara's instincts screamed demon, and her blade was in her hand.

"Sam, look out!" Ruby cried, drawing her own knife. She charged at Sara, only to be forced back. There was a flash of lightning, and Ruby and Sam could see the shadow of a pair of massive, feathered wings rising up behind Sara, whose grey eyes suddenly were a glowing sky blue.

"Do not test me, creature," she snarled, pointing her angel blade at Ruby. Knowing that she couldn't afford to get him riled up at this point, she stepped back. "Think on what I said, Sam." With a flutter of wings, she was gone.

Her first instinct was to find Castiel. She found him outside of a motel room where Dean was staying. Seeing him made her heart sing, but she knew that she had to take care of business first.

Dean Winchester heard a flutter of wings behind him. Castiel was standing in front of him, so he turned, and came face to face with a young girl of about 25. Serious gray eyes stared at him from underneath a mess of brown hair. She was dressed casually, but the blade in her hand said all business to him.

"Jesus!" he gasped.

"Why do humans always mention him?" she asked, exasperated.

"It's just an exclamation of surprise," Castiel said, coming around to stand beside her. "Dean, this is Sarakiel, my…"

"Friend," Sara jumped in, cutting Castiel off quickly. He looked at her, confused. A wary look in response to his confusion gave him all the information he needed.

"Sister angel," he finished. Sara smiled at Dean.

"Dean Winchester, at long last." Sara put her blade away and held out her hand for Dean to take. He did so, albeit hesitantly. Sara smiled at the hesitation. "Dean, I'm not going to bite." The elder Winchester laughed slightly.

"So, you're Cas' sister?" he asked. Sara made a mental note of the nickname Dean used. She liked it, and wondered Castiel's reaction if she used it.

"All angels are brothers and sisters to a degree, just as humans are all cousins to a certain degree," Sara responded. Then, she turned to Castiel. "I just came from Sam's room. I fear he is in danger," she said.

"What about Sam? Is he okay?" Dean asked, grabbing Sara's arm.

"He's alright for now, but if he keeps using his powers," she began. Dean closed his eyes and turned away, releasing her arm in the process.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered under his breath. "Sammy, what the hell?" Sara could feel the concern radiating off Dean. It reminded her of the concern her brothers once felt for her, before Lucifer fell. She felt her heart twinge slightly. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Dean, it isn't too late. We can still save him. You just need to make sure that you're there for him all the time. Get him away from that Ruby girl if you can," Sara said. At the mention of Ruby's name, Dean's head whipped around, his face a picture of confusion and anger.

"Ruby?" he asked. He turned around and grabbed Sara by the biceps, shaking her slightly. "Did you say Ruby?" The shaking caught Sara by surprise, and she let out a cry of surprise. Dean suddenly found himself flying backwards, his back slamming into the door of his motel room. When he looked up, Castiel was in front of the girl, hand outstretched, blue eyes flashing.

"Do not touch her," he growled. Dean struggled to get up. Sara stepped in front of Castiel, placing a hand on his outstretched hand and shaking her head. She walked over to Dean and helped him up.

"Forgive him, Dean," she grunted, helping to pull Dean to his feet. "Castiel can be a bit overprotective of me." She looked over her shoulder, her voice getting slightly louder as she frowned at the now-cowed angel behind her. Her gray eyes flashed blue for the briefest moment as she looked at him.

"It's okay. I'm the one who should apologize," Dean replied, dusting himself off. "I'm just worried about Sammy, that's all."

"I understand," Sara replied, nodding. "It's okay, Dean. Remember, keep an eye on Sam. We can't keep him safe all of the time." Dean nodded.

"We?" Castiel asked Sara as she stepped back. She looked at Castiel, took his arm, and the two angels vanished from Dean's sight.

Sara and Castiel returned to Heaven, almost crash-landing in her office.

"Castiel, what was that?" Sara said, furious. Castiel didn't look at her. He wasn't even sure what that was. The sound of her cry sparked something in him, like he had to protect her. He didn't know where it came from. "Castiel?" He heard her voice calling him. He turned and saw her frowning, arms crossed.

"I apologize, Sarakiel," he said. "I don't know what came over me." He bowed his head and got down on one knee, ashamed. "When you cried out…I felt the need to protect you. It didn't matter that it was Dean." Sara leaned on her desk, studying him. He looked back up when he didn't hear a response, a child-like look of guilt on his face. His clear blue eyes sparkled, and Sara sighed. She couldn't stay mad at that face.

"Get up," she said, motioning for him to do so. "I can't be mad at you, Castiel. You were just being protective, but for the life of me, I don't know why. He just surprised me, that's all." Castiel got up, and Sara walked over to straighten his tie. She adjusted it gently, tightening the simple knot very slightly. As she did, Castiel took her hands in his, locking eyes with her.

"I don't want you hurt, Sara," he said. "I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you while I was there. I cannot imagine spending eternity without you in my life." Sara felt her heart start to flutter.

"Cas," she whispered. His eyes flashed with surprise at the use of his nickname. Her gray eyes started to sparkle with tears. As one fell down her face, he gently brushed it away.

"Why are you crying?" he asked. Sara gave a laugh, her eyes still glistening with tears.

"I never pegged you for the romantic," she said.

"I was not trying to be romantic," he said, confused. "I was being honest. You are a very dear friend and I care for you very deeply."

"Humans call that being romantic," Sara replied, looking down. He considered her a friend, just as she considered him a friend….right?

So why did this hurt so badly? A drop water on the floor at her feet showed that she was still crying.

"Sara?" she heard Cas ask. Sara sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Please excuse me, Castiel. I have some work I need to get done," she said, trying to keep her voice even. He awkwardly stepped away from her, looking slightly crestfallen.

"Of course, Archangel," he said, her title signaling that they had returned to business. "Please call me if you need me." With that, he was gone. Once she was certain that she was alone, she leaned against the wall, her tears falling freely. Their relationship was as friends, that's all it has ever been. Why did him calling her that hurt so badly? Why did she want to embrace him and hit him at the same time? She slid down the wall, pulled her knees to her chest, and buried her face in her legs, crying.

What is this feeling?


	3. The Angel, the Witch, and the Winchester

I own Sarakiel and Kat. Everything else belongs to their respective owners. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 7: It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester.

Sarakiel spent the next few days away from Castiel. He was busy, as was she, so it was unintentional. However, she did her best not to think about it. Instead, she focused as much of her attention as she could on the 66 seals. One popped up in a small town that showed an unusual amount of death for a town of just over 1,000 occupants. However, thanks to Kat, Sara had learned something about magick, and the residual amounts in this town were too high to be coincidental. Further discussion with her vessel confirmed this. However, she needed to test the Winchesters, who were already in the area. If they were committed to keeping Lucifer sealed away, then she needed to see just how committed.

"Castiel, Uriel," she said. The two angels appeared quickly.

"Yes, Archangel?" Castiel said when they appeared.

"One of the seals is being broken," Sarakiel said as they appeared. "A witch is trying to summon Samhain. The Winchesters are already there investigating."

"Then why did you call us?" Uriel asked. "Let the mud monkeys handle their own business." Sarakiel frowned. She never liked Uriel, but he was a specialist when it came to purification, and she needed him for this assignment.

"Those 'mud monkeys' are the creation of my Father. Have respect," she snapped. Uriel looked away, clearly displeased, but he said nothing. "At any rate, you two are to go down and aid the Winchesters in their task."

"Then why ask for me?" Uriel said. "If all they need to do is kill a witch, then let them fight it out."

"Uriel, the seals cannot be broken. You are to go to Sam and Dean, both of you. Tell them that your orders are to purify the town. But, only do so if that is what they choose," Sarakiel said.

"What they choose? Are you saying that we are to follow their orders above your own?" Uriel was dumbfounded. Castiel stayed stoic, not taking his eyes off Sarakiel.

"Your orders are to follow theirs. Unless they choose purification, you are to do nothing, Uriel," she repeated. "Castiel, you are in charge on this mission."

"Understood, Archangel," Castiel replied. Sarakiel nodded and looked at Uriel, who looked like he wanted to say something.

"Uriel?" she said, her voice low. Uriel sighed and looked down.

"Understood, Archangel," he said, his voice full of contempt.

"Good. You're dismissed," she said. Both angels vanished with a flutter of wings. However, the way Uriel was behaving, she didn't completely trust him. She chose to go an observe. It just so happened that Kat was nearby, so there was no need to put her body through any undue stress of a long journey. Upon arrival, she ran almost immediately into Sam and Dean…literally.

"Don't I know you?" Dean asked when she picked herself up off the ground.

"It's only been a few weeks, Dean," she replied with a grin. When the recognition dawned on the elder Winchester, Sarakiel's smile got wider.

"You're that angel that Cas almost killed me over," he said, frowning at the memory.

"Yeah…sorry about that," she replied, her smile turning into a grimace. Then, she looked at Sam, who apparently remembered her too. A quick scan of him presented no more demon blood in his system. "Glad to see that you've kicked the habit, Sam," she said. He was very wary around her, but still nodded.

"It's good to see you too, Sara," Sam said.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked.

"Two deaths in as many days under mysterious circumstances in a town of just over 1,000 people close to the most sacred day on the Pagan calendar and you think Heaven didn't notice?" Sarakiel replied. "There are seals being attempted at everywhere, but this one just caught my attention."

"Okay, but why this one?" Sam asked.

"My vessel," she said, pointing to herself. "This girl is a pagan." She reached down her shirt and pulled out Kat's necklace, a silver triple Goddess symbol on a black leather cord.

"A pagan?" Dean repeated, skeptical.

"Contrary to popular belief, not all angels have a holier-than-thou attitude, and not all pagans hate Christians," Sara replied, and followed them back to their motel. Castiel and Uriel were waiting inside. Uriel refused to even acknowledge the boys, while Castiel greeted Dean and shook Sam's hand, echoing Sarakiel's pleasure at Sam kicking the demon blood.

"Let's keep it that way," Uriel said from the window. He looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with Sara. "Still figured we couldn't be trusted, Archangel?" he said with a sneer. Sara flinched. She didn't want them to find out this way. Dean and Sam both turned to her, stunned.

"Did he just say Archangel?" Dean said. Sara looked at both brothers, then to Castiel, who just shrugged.

"Yes," she sighed. "I am one of the Archangels." She was going to kill Uriel.

"So, what…did you just not trust us to know?" Dean asked, clearly upset.

"No, it's not that," she replied, unsure about how to say it.

"Then what is it?!"

"Because I'm the archangel that no one talks about!" Sarakiel finally exploded. "The Bible doesn't even mention me! All everyone ever talks about are my older brothers, like Lucifer and Gabriel. I'm the kid sister that they didn't want to hang around with, and in a Patriarchal society, no man wanted to write about God's only daughter, no matter what part she played in the beginning." By now, her eyes shone with a blue light, and the shadow of her wings was clear behind her. No one in the room, especially the two Angels, wanted to risk angering an Archangel, especially because of what she could do if she really got angry.

"Sarakiel, please," Castiel said, moving forward. "Calm down." He placed a hand on her arm, and Sara took a breath, willing herself to be calm. She looked at Sam and Dean, the former looking like he was ready to piss himself, and the latter looking like he was ready to kill her.

"My apologies," she said quietly. "It still irks me from time to time." Uriel was smirking at her as she glared at him. "To answer your question, no. I do not trust you. I trust Castiel, and I trust Sam and Dean."

"Then why send me?"

"Because everyone else is busy with other seals. You were the only one available at the time. I came down to remind you that you have a job to do," Sarakiel replied.

"What are you doing here, Cas?" Dean asked. Sara wanted to tell them the real reason they were here, but she held her tongue. She allowed Castiel and Uriel to explain everything.

"The raising of Samhain, have you stopped it?" Castiel asked.

"Why?" Dean asked.

"Dean, have you located the witch?" Castiel asked, more persistent this time.

"We know who it is," Dean answered. Castiel walked over to the dresser across from the beds.

"Apparently, the witch knows who you are too," he said, and held up a hex bag. "This was inside the wall of your room. If we hadn't found it, surely one or both of you would be dead. Do you know where the witch is now?" Dean and Sam looked at each other.

"We're working on it," Dean said, slightly put down.

"That's unfortunate," Castiel commented, putting the hex bag down.

"What do you care?" Dean said.

"The raising of Samhain is one of the 66 seals," Castiel explained.

"So this is about your buddy, Lucifer," Dean said.

"Lucifer is no friend of ours," Uriel chimed in.

"It's just an expression, Uriel," Sara said, coming to Dean's defense.

"Lucifer cannot rise," Castiel persisted. "The breaking of the seal must be prevented at all costs."

"Okay, great," Dean said. "Well, now that you're here, why don't you tell us where the witch is, we'll gank her, and everyone goes home."

"We are not omniscient," Castiel replied. "This witch is very powerful. She's cloaked even our methods."

"Okay, well we already know who she is, so if we work together…" Sam began.

"Enough of this," Uriel chimed in, cutting Sam off. Sara glared at him. She knew what Uriel wanted, but she needed him to follow her orders.

"Okay, who are you, and why should I care?" Dean asked, rounding on Uriel. Said angel turned from the window and looked at the elder Winchester.

"This is Uriel," Castiel answered. "He's what you might call a…specialist."

"What kind of specialist?" Dean asked, wary of the other angel. "What are you gonna do?" Castiel looked at Sara, a pleading look in his eyes. Sara gave him an affirming look, telling him to do what she had ordered him to do.

"You – uh, both of you – you need to leave this town immediately," he said, unable to look at either Winchester.

"Why?" Dean asked, walking toward Castiel.

"Because we're about to destroy it," Castiel answered. Sam and Dean looked at each other, worried.

"So this is your plan?" Dean said, livid. "You're gonna smite the whole friggin' town?" Then, he rounded on Sarakiel. "And you ordered this?" Sara held Dean's accusatory gaze.

"We're out of time," Castiel said, moving in front of the Archangel. "This witch has to die, the seal must be saved."

"There are a thousand people here!" Sam exclaimed.

"One thousand, two hundred fourteen," Uriel commented, a smug look on his face.

"And you're willing to kill them all?" Sam asked, rounding on the smirking angel.

"This isn't the first time I've…purified a city," he replied. Sam looked horrified. Sarakiel bit her tongue as hard as she could, forcing herself to allow Castiel and Uriel to do what she ordered them to do.

"Look, I understand this is regrettable," Castiel said.

"Regrettable?" Dean said, incredulous.

"We have to hold the line. Too many seals have been broken already," Castiel continued.

"So you screw the pooch on some seals and this town has to pay the price?" Dean asked. Sara internally rejoiced. She had a feeling that the Winchesters would take the town's side. However, the look in Castiel's blue eyes told her that he wasn't done.

"It's the lives of one thousand against the lives of six billion," he said. Sara winced. He pulled the bigger picture gambit. "There's a bigger picture here."

"Right, because you're bigger picture kind of guys," Dean spat.

"Lucifer cannot rise," Castiel repeated. "He does, and hell rises with him. Is that something that you're willing to risk?" Sara held her breath. She wanted to have faith in the boys, but she chose Castiel for this mission for a reason.

"We'll stop this witch before she summons anyone," Sam said with some finality. "Your seal won't be broken, and no one has to die." Sara smiled slightly.

"We're wasting time with these mud monkeys," Uriel scoffed.

"Uriel!" Sara snapped. Castiel turned away from the Winchesters.

"I'm sorry, but we have our orders," he said simply. Sam and Dean rounded on Sara.

"Call them off," Sam said. "Give us some time, please." She had been anticipating this. Castiel moved to defend her again, but she held him off.

"Sam, do you think those orders initially came from me?" Sara asked. "Believe it or not, I am not at the top of the food chain up there. I do have older brothers, and they can give me orders."

"Then give them a call," Dean said.

"They won't relent, especially not to humans. You think Castiel is stubborn? He's nothing compared to my brothers," Sara said. Nothing she told them was a lie. Michael and Raphael would sooner laugh in their faces.

"You can't do this," Sam said. "You're angels. I mean, aren't you supposed to…. you're supposed to show mercy." Even Sara laughed a little at that statement. If only Sam knew…

"Says who?" Uriel laughed.

"We have no choice," Castiel said, attempting a final statement.

"Of course you have a choice," Dean snapped. "I mean, come on, what? You've never questioned a crap order, huh? What are you both, just a couple of hammers?" He frowned at Sarakiel, who frowned back. It took all she had not to lay him out right then and there.

"Look, even if you can't understand it, have faith. The plan is just," Castiel said, still trying to end the conversation.

"How can you even say that?" Sam asked, confused.

"Because it comes from heaven. That makes it just," Castiel replied. Sara winced.

"Oh, it must be nice, to be so sure of yourself," Dean sneered, looking at the three angels.

"Tell me something, Dean," Castiel said softly, walking up to him. "When your father gave you an order, didn't you obey?" Dean was silent for moment, having a staring contest with the angel.

"Well, sorry boys," he replied, just as softly. "Looks like the plans of changed." Sara's heart leaped.

"You think you can stop us?" Uriel scoffed, a smug smirk on his face that Sara wanted to wipe right off…hard. Dean got right up in Uriel's face.

"No," he began. "But if you're gonna smite this whole town, then you're gonna have to smite us with it, because we are not leaving." He then turned to Castiel. "See, you went through the trouble of busting me out of hell. I figure I'm worth something to the man upstairs. So, you wanna waste me? Go ahead, see how he digs that." Sara couldn't have been happier with him. He was putting his life on the line in order to save innocent lives.

"I will drag you out of here myself," Uriel threatened. Sara moved to stop him, but Dean was one step ahead of him.

"Yeah, but you'll have to kill me, then we're back to the same problem," he said. "I mean, come on, you're gonna wipe out a whole town for one little witch? Sounds to me like you're compensating for something." Sara barely stifled a laugh, which earned her a nasty glare from Uriel. Dean turned back to Castiel. "We can do this," he said, with utmost confidence. "We will find that witch, and we will stop the summoning." Uriel was furious.

"Castiel, I will not let these peop-" he began, but Castiel cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Enough!" he said. Castiel examined the Winchesters for a moment, and then moved to walk away.

"I suggest you move quickly," he said. Castiel and Uriel vanished, leaving Dean, Sam, and Sarakiel standing there. Once they were gone, Dean turned to Sara.

"You certainly have some committed soldiers," he spat, his voice full of contempt. Sam didn't say anything, but gave Sara a hopeless look before following his brother out the door.

Sarakiel shook her head, and went to find Castiel and Uriel.

She found them near a park.

"It's what they are, savages. Just plumbing on two legs," Uriel was saying as she appeared.

"You're close to blasphemy," she warned from behind the two of them. The two male angels jumped when they heard her voice. Castiel could see a fire burning in her eyes. She was furious.

"Dean Winchester was saved for a reason, Uriel. He has potential. He may succeed here," she said. "Besides, Michael has ordered his and Sam's safety. It's out of our hands."

"It doesn't have to be," Uriel said, standing up and facing his superior.

"And what do you suggest?" Castiel asked.

"That we drag Sam and Dean Winchester out of here and then we blow this insignificant pinprick off the map," Uriel answered, no small amount of joy evident in his voice. That was it. Sarakiel stalked up to him and slapped him as hard as she could. Given her true strength, it almost knocked him over.

"Nothing here is insignificant, Uriel," she said, her voice almost a growl. "You would do well to remember that." He looked at her, rubbing where she had slapped him. "You will remember your true orders. Nothing else," she snarled, and stalked away. Castiel gave Uriel a look, and went after her.

He found her later that evening, sitting on a hill overlooking the town.

"Sarakiel," he called. She turned at the sound of her name, but for the first time, she wasn't happy to see her friend.

"With all due respect, Castiel, I need to be alone," Sara replied, turning away. Castiel nevertheless sat down next to her. Sara turned and looked at him. "What are you doing?"

"You aren't well. What is bothering you?" he asked, his blue eyes serious. Sara sighed and looked back at the town, all decorated and buzzing with trick or treaters.

"I almost broke, Cas," Sara said softly. "I almost told Dean and Sam the truth. I almost told them your true orders." Tears welled up in her gray eyes. She laughed slightly. "Michael would call me weak. Maybe he's right; maybe I am." A single tear slid down her pale cheek as she closed her eyes and looked down. A warm hand gently brushed the tear away, and guided her face to look up. When Sara opened her eyes, Castiel was smiling sympathetically, his brilliant blue eyes full of warmth and concern.

"You are not weak, Sara," he said gently. "You are one of the strongest Angels in Heaven. Who cares what Michael and Raphael say. You have a power that none of your siblings have."

"And what's that?" Sara asked. Castiel absently stroked her face with his thumb, his other hand wrapping around her waist and pulling her close.

"Love," he whispered. The hand on her face slid to the back of her head, and pulled her into an embrace. Sara closed her eyes again and just bathed in the warm feeling that he gave her, her hands moving to his chest. "You care for humanity as our Father wished us to do. Your concern is for the people who live here, no matter how few. You are the strongest woman I have ever met, and more than worthy of your status." Sara smiled at the praise, though some part of her felt it was still unwarranted. Castiel could sense her ease, and gently kissed the top of her head. Sara gasped slightly at the gesture. She pulled away slightly to look up at her friend. She bit her lip, her heart racing at the proximity of Castiel's face to hers. She suddenly felt a push inside of her. It was Kat.

Oh, for crying out loud, KISS THE MAN! her vessel's voice screamed in her head. Sara's eyes widened in horror, and she pulled herself from Castiel's grasp.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned. Sara was about to answer, when she suddenly felt a different sense of dread. Her heart dropped.

"They failed," she said. "Samhain has been summoned. The seal is broken." She stood up and brushed herself off. "We need to go," she said, and made to fly off. Castiel caught her arm.

"Wait. Give them a chance to defeat the demon and the witch," he said. "Yes, the seal is broken, but this can still test them. If they see no other way and call us, then we know what they are capable of. Either way, Samhain will die." Sara thought for a moment, mulling Castiel's words over in her mind. It made sense. She sat down again next to him, pulled her knees to her chest, and waited.

The prayer never came, and they felt the death of the demon and the witch soon after. Samhain managed to raise several of the dead, but the Winchesters managed to stop and kill him. Much to Sara's (and Dean's) dismay, Sam used his abilities to exorcise and even kill the demon. As they felt the demon die, Sara and Cas looked at each other. They both knew what this meant for the younger brother. The two angels stood and looked at the town. It was safe now, and the Winchesters had passed the test.

The next morning, after a night of cleaning up the town from all of the undead, Sarakiel and Castiel paid a visit to the boys before leaving. When they arrived at the motel room, they discovered Uriel was already there. He was speaking to Sam. Castiel went to find Dean, leaving Sara to keep an eye on the other Angel.

Uriel lectured Sam about using his powers to kill Samhain, how they were a danger. He said that Sam was only alive because he was still useful. Unable to listen to any more, she stepped in.

"Uriel!" she barked. "That's enough. He's been through enough without you lecturing him about things that you yourself don't understand. Return to my office. I'll be there shortly for your debriefing."

"Of course, Archangel," Uriel sneered. "Ask Dean what he remembers of Hell," he added to Sam, and he was gone. Sara sighed.

"Sam," she said, but the younger brother was glaring at her.

"All of those years that I prayed, and had faith," he scoffed, stuffing things into his duffel bag. "Now I come to find that Angels are no better than the monsters that we fight." In a flash, he was up against the wall, the female Archangel pinning him there with one hand.

"If that were true, you'd be dead," she said quietly. She sighed and let Sam go. "Uriel is one of those angels that didn't take to humanity. You're savages in his eyes. We're not all like that. Me? Castiel? We actually care for humanity."

"And yet you were willing to destroy an entire town to kill one witch?" Sam spat.

"I didn't want to," Sara replied. "And honestly, I wanted to do exactly what you did. Which is why I ordered Castiel and Uriel to follow your orders on the matter." Sam looked at her, shocked.

"You were never going to destroy the town?" he asked, incredulous.

"It was a test," Sara began. "I presented you with two options to halt the summoning of Samhain: either hunt down and kill the witch before the summoning, or destroy the town to destroy her quickly. You chose to save innocent lives. While you didn't stop the summoning, you still proved that you're as committed to stopping Lilith as we are. I am sorry for the deception, Sam. But, I had to be sure." Sam just stared at her in silence, his brown eyes wide. Sara braced herself for the possible onslaught of cruel words and possibly physical anger. However, Sam surprised her when he spoke up, his tone soft.

"You wanted to see how much we cared," he said. "What would they have done if we had taken the other option?"

"Uriel would have purified the town," Sara answered. "They were to follow your orders."

"And what would you have done?"

"I would have allowed it. I would not have been happy, but I would have let it happen." Sam looked at the female Archangel. He didn't know what to think of her. Even as she said that she would have allowed the town to be destroyed, he could tell that she would have been upset. "For the record, I had faith in you and Dean. I didn't know if you could have stopped the summoning, but I had faith that you would make the right decision. You didn't disappoint," she said. A warm smile came across her face. Her words gave Sam some hope. They at least had one friend up in Heaven, and a powerful one at that. Sara took his hands in hers.

"Uriel was right about one thing, though. You need to stop using your powers. Going down that path will only bring you pain, Sam," she said, pleading with him. "I know I can't stop you, but if you need a reason to stop, do it for Dean." She stood on her tiptoes (he towered over her) and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. "We'll be watching you, Sam. Both of you," she whispered, and with a flutter of wings, she was gone.


	4. Fallen from Grace

I own Sarakiel. I do not own Supernatural. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 10: Heaven and Hell, with a handful of Season 4, Episode 9: I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Sarakiel did her best to keep an eye on Sam and Dean, but keeping a watch over Uriel was proving to be just as troublesome. Reports kept coming in, and Sarakiel made sure that some of them stayed away from Raphael. One report that caught her eye was one of a young woman who could hear Angel Radio. Said young girl turned out to be a Fallen Angel named Anna.

Sarakiel decided to give Castiel and Uriel one last chance to properly work together.

Uriel seemed all too eager to go after her, with Castiel quietly agreeing. Castiel had been Anna's subordinate during the last war, and they had been close. Sarakiel hoped that, with their history, Castiel would finish this quickly while keeping Uriel in check.

So when they both ended up 500 miles away from where Anna was, she was a mixture of confused and furious.

"What happened?" she asked as she dropped in on them.

"We were banished," Uriel said, furious.

"Where's Anna?"

"With your precious Winchesters." Uriel was fuming, spitting the name out like it was poison. Sarakiel frowned. She hadn't expected Sam and Dean to get involved, but now that they were, they were going to protect Anna with everything that they had. That's just the kind of humans that they were.

"Uriel, return to Heaven and await further orders. I'll not have you hunting down Anna while the Winchesters are involved," Sarakiel decided, looking at the furious angel.

"You're becoming too attached to them, Archangel," Uriel spat.

"Michael has ordered that they be kept alive. Unless you want to anger him, I strongly suggest that you do as you are told," Sarakiel retorted. Uriel kept on scowling, but Sarakiel saw a clear flash of fear in his eyes. He vanished without another word. Once she was sure he was gone, Sarakiel turned to her Captain.

"Why are you having such a problem with him, Castiel?" she asked.

"I am not sure, Archangel," Castiel replied, keeping everything formal. "Uriel does not regard humanity the way that you and I do. He seems very keen on disobedience."

"I've noticed," Sarakiel replied. "I don't have time to be keeping an eye on him, as well as everything else that I have to do, Castiel." The disappointment in his eyes made Sarakiel realize how hard her tone had been.

"I understand, Archangel. I will do a better job keeping Uriel in check from now on," Castiel replied, inclining his head respectfully.

"I know you will, Castiel," Sarakiel said, instantly regretting her tone. "Forgive me, brother. I didn't mean to sound so harsh with you."

"There is no need to apologize, Archangel," Castiel said. "Uriel is my subordinate. I should be able to keep a better hold on him."

"And I know you have been trying your best," Sarakiel replied. "I had no reason to be so harsh with you. Something is going on in Heaven that I don't know about, and I fear that Michael is keeping things from me." Castiel regarded the Archangel with confusion.

"Why would he be keeping anything from you? You manage Heaven just as much as he does. He is also your brother, and a fellow Archangel," he said.

"All of that is true, but he still doesn't feel the need to share anything with me, it would seem," Sarakiel said. "I'm discovering that there are very few people in Heaven left that I can trust. You are one of them, Castiel. I hope that you feel the same."

"I do, Sarakiel," Castiel replied. After a moment, he locked eyes with her, a serious look on his face. "That's why I must tell you…I have doubts….concerns…questions." Normally, Sarakiel would have him relegated to some other task. An angel with questions was a dangerous thing. They were not supposed to have free will. They were to obey orders, and that was it. However, Sarakiel immediately decided to disregard that. Castiel was asking questions about orders, just as she was. She needed someone on her side, and she could think of no better angel to have with her. She was about to say something, but a message came in loud and clear over Angel Radio.

Dean Winchester gives us Anna by midnight, or we hurl him back to damnation.

Sarakiel recognized the voice. "Uriel" she snarled. "He knows full well that Dean Winchester can't be hurled back into damnation. Why would he even threaten something like that?"

"What should we do?" Castiel asked, deferring to his superior's judgement.

"Go and find Uriel. Bring him to me. If he doesn't come, call. I'll deal with him myself," Sarakiel ordered. Castiel nodded and was gone. Two minutes later, she heard Castiel's voice calling her. Uriel had decided not to listen to him. Sarakiel vanished and appeared at Castiel's side seconds later. Uriel was standing there, brazen, a glowing vial around his neck that had to contain Grace.

"What is that?" Sarakiel asked, pointing to the vial around his neck.

"Anna's Grace. I found it in an oak tree," Uriel replied, fingering it proudly.

"You've gone behind my back again, Uriel. Your orders were to return to Heaven to await instruction. You disobeyed, and now, you're threatening Dean Winchester. You know full well that Michael wants him alive. We're losing brothers and sisters almost daily, Uriel. Do not force me to add you to the list of the fallen," Sarakiel said. She was in full Archangel mode. She almost started glowing with the power she wielded. She was upright, confident, and commanding. Secretly, Castiel loved seeing her like this. She always doubted herself. If she could just see herself now, he thought. "Where is Anna?"

"The Winchesters are hiding her and themselves from us. I have no idea," Uriel said. Sarakiel looked in to his mind, and found him to be telling the truth. Just as she was about to say something, however, their presence flared in each of their minds.

"They're in a barn not far from here," Castiel said, locking on to Dean. Uriel went to go after them, but Sarakiel grabbed him by the collar of his jacket.

"The two of you will follow me," Sarakiel growled. Uriel sneered at her, but took a place behind her on her left. Castiel took a position on her right, and the three of them disappeared.

The three angels arrived at the barn where Dean, Sam, and Anna were hiding. The Winchesters were surprised to see the Archangel leading the way.

"Sara?" Sam asked. Ignoring him, Sarakiel locked eyes with the fallen angel.

"Hello, Anna," she said.

"Sarakiel?" Anna asked, both amazed and horrified. "I didn't think you would come down for me."

"Well, you have smart friends" Sara replied, looking at the brothers briefly before returning her gaze to her sister. "I'm sorry that it has to be this way."

"It's good to see you again, Anna," Castiel said from Sara's right.

"How did you find us?" Sam asked. He then looked at his brother. "Dean?" Dean sadly turned to Anna.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Why?" Sam exclaimed.

"Because they gave him a choice," Anna said, not breaking Dean's gaze. "They either kill me…or kill you. I know how their minds work." Sara looked at Uriel, who was smirking. She had had enough of him. Anna walked over to Dean and kissed him gently. "You did the best you could," she said softly. "I forgive you." Sara felt Castiel wince. Anna had been his commanding officer during the last war, and they had been close. Anna turned to the three angels. "Okay. No more tricks, no more running…I'm ready." Sara sighed, and flicked her right wrist, drawing her angel blade.

"I'm sorry," Castiel said.

"No, you're not. Not really," Anna replied. "You don't know the feeling." Sara understood. Regular angels didn't feel emotions. They were supposed to be obedient, nothing else. She knew that Castiel felt emotions, though. He just stayed obedient.

"Still, we have a history. It's just–" Castiel continued.

"Orders are orders, I know," Anna said. "Just make it quick." Sara moved forward to deliver the blow, but Castiel stopped her, his own angel blade drawn.

"I'll do it. It should be me," he said quietly. Sara nodded and stepped aside. As he stepped forward, a group of demons appeared. Sarakiel recognized Ruby right away, though she was surprised to see her bleeding.

"Don't you touch a hair on that poor girl's head," one said, clearly the leader.

"How dare you come in this room, you pussing sore?" Uriel spat.

"Name-calling. That hurts my feelings," the demon said, clearly mocking Uriel. "You sanctimonious, fanatical prick," he added with a smirk. After a quick probe, Sarakiel recognized this demon as Alastair, Lilith's loyal lieutenant. He was a master torturer and manipulator, so it was no wonder why Ruby was bleeding.

"Turn around and walk away now," Castiel ordered.

"Sure," he replied. "Just give us the girl. We'll make sure she gets punished good and proper." Sara moved in front of Anna.

"Back off, Alastair," she said, brandishing her blade.

"Well well, an Archangel," Alastair grinned. "Been a long time since I've seen one of your kind." Sarakiel frowned and adjusted the grip on her blade.

"You know who we are and what we will do," she said. "I won't say it again; leave now…or we lay you to waste."

"Think I'll take my chances," Alastair said, and he and the other demon attacked. Sarakiel moved in front of Anna, pushing her back against a wall to keep her options slim. Castiel tried to exorcise Alastair, but to no avail. "Sorry, kiddo. Why don't you go run to daddy?" As Uriel exorcised the other demon, Alastair tried to exorcise Castiel.

"Castiel!" Sara shouted. Dean ran up behind the two and smacked Alastair with a crowbar. Alastair said something that Sara didn't make out, because she was suddenly focused on Anna retrieving her Grace from the pendant hanging around Uriel's neck.

"Shut your eyes. Shut your eyes! SHUT YOUR EYES!" she shouted. She exploded with a bright light, making her and Alastair disappear. Everyone got up and looked around. Dean was glaring at Uriel.

"Well, what are you guys waiting for? Go get Anna," he sneered. "Unless, of course, you're scared."

"This isn't over," Uriel spat.

"Oh, it looks over to me, junkless," Dean spat back.

"Both of you, go," Sarakiel ordered. Uriel looked as though he was ready to retort, but Castiel stopped him. With one last sneer from Uriel, the two disappeared. Sarakiel gave a short sigh, and turned back to the boys.

"It's not smart to provoke him like that, Dean," she said.

"Oh what, is he gonna smite me?" Dean laughed. Sarakiel's serious look killed his chuckle quickly.

"Castiel couldn't control Uriel, and I'm not having much luck either. If I can't control him, then who knows what he'll do," she replied. "I can't be around to protect you all the time, Dean. Neither can Castiel. Do not try to push him." When Dean scoffed again, Sarakiel walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Dean, promise me!" she demanded. He was shocked at the desperate look in her eyes, as if she wanted to tell him something, but couldn't.

"Sara, is there something you're not telling us?" Sam asked, noticing the look.

"The proper word, Sam, is can't," she replied, looking at the younger brother. "I can't tell you because I don't have any information to even begin to prove my suspicions. Something is going on, and I don't know what. For right now, you two need to be kept alive. I don't know why or what for, but you need to be kept alive. So, I'll ask again…from both of you…do not provoke Uriel." Both Winchesters were surprised at the onslaught of information. With a definite nod, both looked at Sara.

"Okay, we promise," Dean said. Sara nodded, and looked at Sam.

"We promise," Sam said.

"Thank you," she said. "Both of you. I'm sorry to put all this worry on you, but God wanted you alive for a reason. I intend to find out why, and when I do, you'll be the first to know. I promise." With that, she vanished.


	5. The Vessel has a Voice

I own Sarakiel and Kat. Everything else belongs to their respective owners. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 15: Death Takes a Holiday.

The demon Alastair had shown himself again. Reports showed that he was planning to capture and kill two reapers under a solstice moon, one of the 66 seals. Luckily, the Winchesters had already been made aware, though through a second source: a fellow hunter named Bobby Singer, or so Sam told Dean. It had, in fact, been Castiel. He called the boys up about a small town in Wyoming where no one had died, despite multiple causes for death. Alastair had already captured a reaper, and he or she couldn't do their job. Sarakiel knew that this would bring the brothers there, but she was worried. She decided to take this one herself.

Sam and Dean were just leaving the home of the latest victim, – if you could call him that – Jim Jenkins, when Sarakiel arrived. Abandoning her usual attire for Kat's style of a black hoodie and jeans with combat boots, she leaned up against Dean's beloved 1967 black Chevy Impala, that he affectionately called 'Baby'.

"Hello Dean, Hello Sam," she said. At the sight of her, Dean started looking around.

"Where're your two guard dogs?" he asked. Sara chose to brush off the underhanded comment.

"I'm taking a personal interest in this one," she replied. "No deaths in over a week…glad you two are here."

"What do you think it is?" Sam asked as they climbed in to the car.

"Not sure," Sara lied.

"You? You're not sure?" Dean scoffed. Sara raised an eyebrow at the elder brother. He was getting to know her too well.

"I have an idea, but I want to see if you guys have something first," she said. Dean looked at his brother, who shrugged.

"You angels love talking in circles, don't you?" Dean said, gunning the engine. Sara just smiled.

"Call it a teaching moment. You never stop learning, Dean, even at my age," she replied. Sam snorted as they pulled on to the highway and back to the motel where Sam and Dean were staying.

Sam left to interview some of the other local "miracles", while Sara stayed with Dean in the motel room. She looked around the room while Dean did research on his brother's laptop. They sat it relative silence until Dean leaned back and slapped the table.

"Okay, what's your game?" he asked Sarakiel.

"Game?" Sara replied, confused.

"Lately, you and those little hammers of yours have been doing nothing but using Sammy and me like cheap hookers," he snapped. "You said that there was something going on upstairs, and that's why the big man told you to save me. Why? Have you found anything out?" Sara plopped down on the bed across from Dean.

"No," she began. "I haven't been able to find anything out. Angel Radio has been strangely silent regarding the two of you, and my brothers even more so." Dean listened intently. "If something is going on, Michael and Raphael don't want me to know. Believe me, it doesn't please me any more than it pleases you. It's putting my brothers and sisters in danger, as well as myself. I'm worried for their safety, your safety, Sam's safety…everyone's safety. If something comes up, you have my word that you will be the first to know." Dean just stared into her eyes for a minute, studying her intentions.

"Make sure that you do," he finally said, and turned back to the laptop. Sara nodded, and turned her attention to Angel Radio, listening for anything to help them out.

Sam didn't return until later that night.

"Hey guys," he said as he came in.

"Anything?" Dean asked.

"That cancer survivor? He was clinically dead, his wife pulled the plug, and now he's taking her out for their twentieth anniversary," Sam replied.

"Any sign of a deal?" Dean asked. Sara hadn't considered a crossroads demon as a possibility, but this was too many deals for one demon to make, and she wanted to see if the boys could get to the reapers themselves.

"No," Sam said, shaking his head. "What about you? Found anyone dying around here?" He jerked his head toward the laptop.

"Not since Cole Griffith," Dean answered. He clicked on something as Sam and Sara came around for a look. An obituary from the local paper came up. "He dropped dead ten days ago. It was the last death I could find."

"Still nothing on Angel Radio," Sara said.

"So, what are you thinking?" Sam asked both his brother and Sara.

"Eh, maybe it is what the people say it is," Dean said, getting up. Sara was surprised, as was Sam.

"Miracles?" Sam asked his brother. "Dean, our experience, when do miracles just happen?"

"Miracles have to be approved before they can be performed," Sara chimed in. "No one would approve the saving of this many lives, no matter the circumstance. Besides, not even a Seraph has that kind of power."

"Would any angel?" Sam asked.

"Me," Sara answered. "My brothers. Lucifer is still locked up, and Gabriel has been gone for a long time. Unless Michael and Raphael suddenly grew hearts and decided to make up for all the lives that have been lost in their service, I don't see them doing this."

"Well, there's no deals," Dean said. "There's no skeevy faith healers." He poured himself a cup of coffee. "I mean, these souls just ain't getting dragged into the light." Sarakiel watched both brothers carefully, waiting for the lightbulb to turn on. Sure enough, she saw it spark to light over Sam's head.

"Maybe 'cause there's no one around to carry them," he said thoughtfully. Sara smiled.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"Well, grim reapers…that's what they do, right? Schlep souls?" Sam answered. He looked at Sara, who nodded. "So, if death ain't in town – "

"Then nobody's dying," Dean finished. "So, what? The local reaper's on strike? Playing the back nine? I don't know, Sam." As he sipped his coffee, Sam wasn't about to give up, making Sara smile even more. He reminded her a lot of Lucifer, how clever and quick he was. Then, the memory of his betrayal came back, and she had to fight to keep her face straight.

"Well, then, let's talk to somebody who might," Sam replied.

"Last I checked, huggy bear ain't available," Dean scoffed.

"No, dude, the kid," Sam said. Dean looked at his brother incredulously. Sara watched closely.

"The kid?" he asked. "The kid's a doornail."

"Exactly," Sam said, getting a little excited. "Look, if he was the last person to die around here, then maybe he's seen something. We should talk to him." At this point, Sara had to laugh out loud.

"I love how matter-of-fact you are about that," she said when the two brothers looked at her strangely. "Strange lives." Dean nodded his agreement, and drank more of his coffee.

Sarakiel elected to stay behind for this one. An angel around might disrupt the ritual, or attract unneeded attention. While sitting in the motel room, a familiar flutter of wings stirred her from her thoughts. She turned to see Castiel standing by the door.

"Castiel," she said, standing up. "What are you doing here?"

"We found the reapers," he said. "But we can't get in."

"What do you mean you can't get in?" she asked, confused. There was another flutter of wings, and they appeared outside of a building. The walls were covered in glowing sigils that the humans couldn't see. Sarakiel felt her stomach drop.

"They've warded the building," she said softly.

"This has to be where they're keeping them," Castiel said, looking over the building.

"So how do we get in?" Sara wondered aloud.

"We're going to need Dean and Sam," Castiel answered her.

"Is that why you called them?" she asked. He looked at her, surprised. "You seriously think I didn't know it was you, Castiel?" When she caught his gaze, he looked a little sheepish. "If you wanted their help, why didn't you just ask?"

"He never seems to do exactly what I want him to do. He always just does what he wants," Castiel explained, walking away from the building.

"Sound like anyone you know?" Sara asked him as she walked beside him. Castiel looked at her, and then the realization of what he said hit him, and Sara chuckled as she saw the realization come over his face. "Cas, humans aren't like Angels, and the Winchesters aren't like most humans. That family has always done their own thing. Are you honestly surprised?"

"Sam prayed though," Cas said. "He was devout."

"Sam did that because of everything that he had seen as a child. Think about it: they've been trained to hunt since they were both children. He wanted as close to a normal life as he could get, but knowing everything that was out there, he wanted to at least have something good to believe in," Sara explained. Cas nodded absently. Sara knew that he wasn't going to understand. Normal Angels were devoid of emotions. They obeyed orders, and that was about it. It also prevented them from emotional attachments with the humans that they were assigned to. At this point, however, Sara wished that Castiel was given the gift of Free Will, like her and her older brothers. He may be able to understand the Winchester brothers, both of whom were the most interesting humans she had ever laid eyes on.

"I'm afraid that I still don't understand," Cas admitted, giving voice to what Sara had already guessed. She patted him on the back and smiled.

"Father willing, you will understand one day, Castiel," she said. They just stood there for a moment, her hand still on his back. He looked like he was about to say something, a nervous look in his eyes, when Sara suddenly flinched.

"Dean and Sam are back," she murmured, looking off toward their motel. Without thinking, she leaned towards Cas and planted a small kiss on his cheek. Ears bright red, she flew off with a flutter of wings. Castiel just stood there, touching the spot where she had kissed him. His face burned, but he was confused.

When Sarakiel returned to the motel room, Dean was lying on the bed, holding an ice pack to his head. Dean jumped at her entrance, but just laid back down with a grimace. Sam walked in seconds later.

"What happened?" Sara asked, walking over to Dean, and giving him a once over.

"Alastair," was all that Sam needed to say. Sara gave a small hiss, kicking herself for not going with them. "How you doing?" Sam asked his brother.

"I'm in pain, that's how I'm doing. I think I have a concussion," Dean answered with a groan.

"You want some aspirin?" Sam asked.

"No thanks, House," Dean replied, sitting up. Sara sighed, and placed two fingers to Dean's forehead. There was a faint whispering, and Dean suddenly felt the pain go away.

"You did have a concussion," Sara said, stepping away. "That's gone now." Dean gave a self-scan of his body, nodding to confirm that he felt better.

"Thanks," he said. "Can all angels do that?"

"They can," Sara said, sitting down on the other bed.

"Good to know," Dean muttered, packing that info away for later. "So, demons, huh?" He turned to Sam.

"Yeah," Sam replied, sounding defeated. "So much for miracles." Sara felt a pang of pain in her heart, wishing that she could give Sam something to believe in.

"And what the hell happened to Alastair again?" Dean asked, shaking his head a little.

"I told you, he tried to fling me or whatever," Sam explained, flicking his hand in demonstration. "And it didn't work, so he bailed." As Sam walked over to the coffee maker, Sara looked at him suspiciously. She could tell that he was lying. A quick dip into his mind showed her what really happened. Sam was immune to Alastair's attacks…. because he was drinking demon blood again, Sara realized with a jolt. Dammit, Sam, she cursed internally.

"Well, how come he couldn't fling you?" Dean asked. "He chucked you pretty good last time." Sam turned around and faced his brother, not answering right away. Sara prayed that he would tell him the truth, but Sam just shrugged.

"Got no idea," he said simply. As he turned back to the coffee maker, Dean looked at the archangel, who sighed. While she said nothing, all it took was a look to tell Dean that Sam wasn't being completely honest.

"Sam, do me a favor," he said. "If you're gonna keep your little secrets, I can't really stop you. But just don't treat me like an idiot, okay?" Sam turned around again, an incredulous look on his face.

"What?" he said. "Dean, I'm not keeping secrets." It didn't take a psychologist to tell that Dean wasn't buying it.

"Mm-hm. Whatever. So, did you go back and q-and-a the dead kid?" Dean said, choosing to leave the matter for now.

Sam held up a thin notebook, and sat down next to Sara.

"Didn't have to. Bobby called. He did some digging," Sam said.

"And?" Dean asked.

"He thinks I'm right. Local reaper's gone. Not just gone – kidnapped," Sam said.

"By demons, why?" Dean was confused.

"Listen to this," Sam said as he opened the notebook. "And he bloodied death under the newborn sky – sweet to taste, but bitter when once devoured." That left Sara unconvinced that it was Bobby Singer. Not too many humans knew about that version of the Bible. If it was this hunter, then he was a smart one. However, Sara had other ideas.

"Swanky," Dean joked. "What the hell's that mean?"

"It's from a very old, very obscure version of Revelations," Sara answered.

"Which means what I think it means?" Dean asked.

"If you kill reaper under the solstice moon – which is tomorrow – you break a seal," Sara explained.

"How do you ice a reaper? You can't kill death," Dean said, confused again.

"Anything can be killed with the right tool, Dean. Even me," Sara replied.

"And how do you kill and Archangel?" Sam asked, both brothers looking at Sara carefully. Sara hesitated for a minute, and then decided, as a show of faith, to be honest. With a flick of her right wrist, she drew her Angel Blade.

"With this," she answered, showing them the blade. "It has to be an Archangel blade to kill an Archangel. Normal Angel blades, like Castiel's, hurt but won't kill. An Angel sword would work as well." Sam and Dean looked at the silver blade as Sarakiel twirled it expertly. "There are a few other Holy Weapons, Hands of God the humans call them, that could do the same thing."

"And they are…?" Dean asked.

"Locked up in the Armory," she said. A visible look of disappointment crossed Dean's face, which made Sara chuckle. "Sorry, Dean. Weapons like that are extremely powerful, and even more dangerous in the hands of a demon, or even a wicked human."

"So…could you kill a reaper with their own weapon?" Sam asked quietly. Sara looked at him, both surprised and impressed.

"I don't know for sure, but that does seem very plausible," she mused.

"So, what, are we just gonna swing in and save the friendly neighborhood reaper?" Sam asked, getting frustrated.

"You got a better idea, I'm all ears," Dean said, his voice sounding weary. Sam then returned his gaze to the Archangel next to him.

"Can't you find them and take care of this?" he asked.

"Sam, don't you think I would have done that already?" Sara pointed out, putting her blade away.

"You've tested us like this before," Sam said, standing up. Sara stood up and locked gazes with him, despite him towering over her. It started getting warmer in the room as Sara's temper started to flare.

"We're getting too close to the end, Sam," Sara said, her voice dangerously low. "Your commitment to saving the world is complete and unwavering as far as I'm concerned. The time for testing has passed. There is nothing I can do. So before you start accusing me, think." Her eyes glowed blue as her Grace glowed around her, and the Winchesters saw the shadow of her wings as they rose in anger. Sam deflated, clearly cowed by the female Archangel. With a sharp exhale, Sarakiel calmed herself down, the room returning to a normal temperature.

"Reapers are invisible," Sam said, clearing his throat, and stepping away from Sara. "The only people that can see them are the dead and the dying." Sam nodded to Sara, emphasizing his point.

"I'm not technically dead," Sara muttered, but neither brother heard her. Instead, Sam was focused on Dean, who looked as though he had an idea.

"Well, if ghosts are the only ones that can see them…" he began.

"Yeah?"

"Then we become ghosts," Dean finished. He put the icepack back on his head with a pleased smirk. Sam regarded his brother for a moment, and then looked back to Sara.

"Are you sure he's concussion's gone?" he asked. Sara nodded with a smile.

"Sounds crazy, I know," the older Winchester said, still smiling.

"It is crazy," Sam confirmed. When Dean's smirk got bigger, Sam sighed. "How?"

Sara watched as Dean walked in with Pamela. The psychic wore dark glasses to cover up the fact that she had no real eyes. Castiel had told Sara that this psychic had looked upon his true form, despite his warnings. The consequence? Her eyes were burned out.

"I can't even begin to tell you how crazy you two are," she said as she entered the room, feeling the counter, and then the chair. Her face paused over where Sara was sitting, a brief look of confusing crossing her features before turning to the brothers.

"Well, Pamela, you're a sight for sore eyes," Sam said. Pamela turned and looked at him, pulling down her glasses to reveal white plastic eyes in the sockets.

"Aww, that's sweet grumpy," she mocked, putting them back on her eyes. "What do you say to deaf people?" She then looked at Sara. "Didn't know your kind existed, feathers," she said. "Would have been nice to know beforehand that humans can't look at your true form."

"I'm sorry, Pamela," Sara said, standing. "If you like, I can…" She reached two fingers out to Pamela, who backed away.

"I've gotten used to it. My second sight's as strong as ever," she said. "Thanks for the offer, though," she added quietly. "So, which one of you braniacs came up with astral projection?" she asked the boys, turning back to them.

"Yo," Dean said, putting his hand up.

"Of course," Pamela muttered. "Chachi." Dean looked at his brother, mouthing the word with offense. Sam just shrugged. Sara had no idea what that word meant, so she ignored it. "So, let's be clear. You want me to rip your souls out of your bodies and take a little stroll through the spirit world?" When you say it like that…Sara thought. Dean merely hummed his response. "Do you have any idea how heavy-duty insane that is?"

"Maybe," Dean said. "But that's where the reaper is, so…"

"So, it's nuts," Pamela said, continuing her objections.

"Not if you know what you're doing," Dean countered.

"You don't know what you're doing," she replied. Sara backed away a little. Pamela was a powerful psychic, and could still do damage to an Archangel if she was provoked enough.

"No, but you do," Dean continued.

"Yeah, I do. And guess what? I'm sick of being hauled back into your angel-demon Soc-Greaser crap," Pamela said. Sara could feel the energy pulsing off her.

"Look, I'd love to be kicking back with a cold one, watching Judge Judy too," Dean began.

"Nice, more blind jokes?" Pamela scoffed quietly.

"You know what I mean," Dean pressed, pushing past the remark. "We're talking the end of the world here, okay? No more tasseled leather pants, no more Ramones CDs, no more nothing." He let that sink in for a moment, before adding, "We need your help."

Pamela agreed, and the three of them set up the room. Sam closed the blinds while Dean lit some candles. Sara set a chair between the beds, and helped Pamela sit down.

"Tell me something, geniuses," she said as the boys finished their work. "Even if you do break into the veil and you find the reaper, how you gonna save it?"

"With style and class," Dean answered, albeit a little cockily.

"You're gonna be two walking pieces of fog who can't touch or move anything. You'll be defenseless, hotshot."

"To be fair, reapers are spirits of a type," Sara pointed out.

"Thanks for the input, feather gallery," Pamela snapped. Sara ignored it, reminding herself that this woman had a bad experience with Angels.

"I seem to recall a bunch of ghosts beating the crap of us," Sam said.

"Yeah, well, they had plenty of time to practice," Pamela responded.

"Well, then, I guess we got to start cramming," Dean said, confirming that they had every intention of continuing.

"Wow, couple of heroes," Pamela said. With a resigned sigh, she patted the beds. "All right, lie down, close your eyes." The boys did as they were told.

"I'll stay behind. If it's as warded as I think, the reaper will be kept somewhere with a lot of warding sigils, specifically for angels. You'll be able to see them wherever they are," Sara said as they laid down. Both nodded and closed their eyes, getting comfortable.

"Animum vult decipi, ergo decipiatur. Vis, vis, vis," Pamela chanted. After a minute, she sat back. "Okay guys. That's it. Showtime." Sara looked at the boys, and saw Dean's soul sit up. He looked around, and then looked at Pamela.

"Well, nothing like shooting blanks. What's plan b?" he asked. Pamela appeared not to hear him, but Sara could.

"Dean, look around," she said. He did, and noticed his brother standing up, and then realized that their bodies were on the beds still. He got a goofy grin on his face.

"Oh, I'm so feeling up Demi Moore," he said. Sara rolled her eyes.

"All right, so, I'm assuring you're somewhere over the rainbow," Pamela said. "Remember, I have to bring you back." She stood up and went over to Sam's body. "I'll whisper the incantation in your ear." She did so, only Sam able to hear it. Sam grinned.

"What'd she –" Dean asked his brother. "What'd she say?"

Sam just shrugged. The two looked at Sara, who was looking at them.

"Wait, you can see us?" Sam said.

"Angel, remember?" she replied.

"Did it work then?" Pamela asked.

"It did," Sara replied. "Okay boys, get going. I'll keep her as safe as I can." The boys departed, and Sara and Pamela were left alone.

They sat in silence for almost half an hour, with only occasional coughing or a shift in position making noise in the room. Finally, Pamela spoke up.

"Heard anything from Castiel lately?" she asked, somewhat ironically.

"He's my subordinate, actually," Sara responded. "I don't suppose you've gotten my name by now? I know you've been poking around in my head." Pamela looked at her, shocked.

"You noticed?"

"I've been at that game longer than your universe has even existed," Sara replied, a smile on her face. "You didn't answer my question. Did you get my name?"

"Sarakiel, the youngest Archangel," Pamela replied.

"Very good. Call me Sara. What else did you find?" Sara asked.

"You don't know what I saw?"

"I kind of let you go. I blocked off some important things and just let you roam," Sara replied. "To be honest, it was nice to have someone other than my own brothers poking around." Pamela gave an acknowledging shrug before continuing.

"Most of humanity doesn't know about you. You run Heaven's day to day stuff, and you're suspicious of your brothers and their involvement in the apocalypse. You also have a crush on the little Angel that did this," she said, pointing to her eyes.

"How did you find that? I thought I had blocked that off," Sara said, surprised. Pamela laughed.

"I've been at this a while, honey. I know how to get around a defense or two," she replied. Sara was impressed.

"I gotta say, Pamela. You're good," she said.

"I suppose that's high praise coming from you," Pamela replied. Sara had to laugh at that.

"So, did Castiel tell you about me?" Pamela asked.

"He did."

"What did he say?"

"He came to me, afraid and almost on the verge of tears to be honest," Sara began. "He said that Dean had come to you to find out what pulled him from Hell. You found him, and he warned you about looking at him, but you kept pushing, demanding to that he show himself. When he finally gave in, the sight of his true form burned out your eyes, as it does for most that are unable to look upon us." When Pamela didn't say anything, Sara went on. "He was hurt. He was afraid of what he had done to you, and he was sorry."

"He could come and talk to me himself," Pamela finally said.

"I'll make sure to urge him that way," Sara promised.

"Urge him?"

"Castiel is a little bit like Dean," Sara replied, thinking back to the conversation they'd had earlier. "He usually did things his own way, but he got results, so his superiors, myself included, didn't mind."

"He's got more than one?"

"One more specifically, but they've changed every few centuries, depending on who was needed where," Sara said. "I've been the only consistent one he's had, now that I think on it."

"Who else?" Pamela asked.

"Zachariah," Sara replied. "Loyal to my eldest brother, Michael. Kind of a suck up, if you ask me."

"And you can't override him?"

"Hardly, especially since Michael has all but removed me from my position to watch over the boys," Sara said, a note of disdain in her voice.

"Sounds like a real peach, your brother," Pamela said, ruefully. Sara scoffed.

"You're giving him too much credit." The two girls laughed.

"Hey, let me ask you something," Pamela said when they calmed down. "Why a witch?"

"For my vessel?" Sara asked, pointing to Kat's body. "She's a good person. Just because she practices Wicca doesn't mean she doesn't have a good soul. She welcomed the idea, especially when I overheard a prayer for her to have a way to do some good in this world."

"So a witch prayed to become a vessel?" Pamela said, trying to clear things up for herself.

"Mm-hmm," Sara replied. Pamela whistled.

"You run with a weird crowd, kiddo," she said. They sat and talked for a few more hours, Pamela about Bobby Singer, and Sara about some early stories from the closest thing that she had to a childhood. Suddenly, Sara stood up.

"What's wrong?" Pamela asked.

"Something's wrong. The boys are in trouble," she said.

"Can you tell where they are?"

"No, but they've definitely found the place."

"How can you be sure?"

"I can sense them, but not their location. I was right about the wards. They've angel-proofed the place, which means wherever the boys are, so are the reapers," Sara said. Something creaked in the room. Pamela got up and bolted the door.

"Go find the boys. Go, I'll be okay," she said as she messed with the door.

"Pamela, I promised I would look after you," Sara protested, her demon radar going crazy.

"Go!" she commanded, and gave a mental push that forced Sara to vanish.

Sara awoke outside, about a block and a half down. She looked around and realized what Pamela had done.

"Dammit," she said. "CASTIEL!" When he didn't answer, she turned Angel radio on full blast. "Dammit, Cas, where are you?" she muttered as she searched for his voice. Suddenly, a message came through mentioning that the demon was coming outside with Dean Winchester, and that Sam was already in his body. Sara locked on and tried to teleport. She felt something pushing her from just vanishing, realizing that Pamela was blocking her ability to prevent her returning. "Please be all right, Pamela," she whispered as she took off to where Dean was.

Sarakiel arrived just in time to see Alastair being struck by white lightning and vanishing.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered, looking around.

"Guess again," said a gravelly voice behind him. Dean turned and saw Castiel standing there, and Sara running around the corner.

"Dean, are you okay?" Sara asked, running up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly before turning to Castiel. "What just happened?"

"What just happened?" Castiel replied, incredulous. "You and Sam just saved a seal. We captured Alastair. Dean, this was a victory."

"Well, no thanks to you," Dean spat back.

"What makes you say that?"

"You were here the whole time?" Dean was getting increasingly upset with every word that came out of either his or Castiel's mouths.

"Enough of it," Castiel said.

"Well, thanks for your help with the rock salt," Dean said, still getting angry.

"That script on the funeral home – we couldn't penetrate it," Castiel explained.

"Dean, I told you to look for that, remember?" Sara said.

"That was angel-proofing," Dean said, nodding slightly.

"Why do you think I recruited you and Sam in the first place?" Castiel said. Dean looked at him. Cas, just shut up now, Sara prayed. Her efforts, it seemed, were in vain.

"You recruited us?" Dean asked.

"That wasn't your friend Bobby who called, Dean. It wasn't Bobby who told Sam about the seal," Castiel confessed.

"That was you?" Dean asked. When Castiel looked down, Dean rounded on Sar. Dean looked as though he was going to tear her a new one, but he just sighed.

"If you want our help, why the hell didn't you just ask?" he said quietly. It was Castiel's turn to get frustrated.

"Because whatever I ask, you seem to do the exact opposite," he said. Dean just looked around.

"So, what now, huh? The people in this town, they just gonna start dying again?" he asked. Sara and Castiel looked at each other for a moment, and Castiel nodded.

"Yes."

"These are good people. What, you think you can make a few exceptions?" Dean said, begging for their lives. Sara was more than tempted to save the souls of every person here, but the reapers needed to do to their jobs, and she and the boys had to do theirs.

"To everything there is a season," Castiel said simply.

"You made an exception for me," Dean pointed out, desperation clear in his voice. Castiel turned and faced the human hunter.

"You're different," he said. Sara watched as a dark-haired reaper appeared next to Dean.

"Dean? I could use your help," she said. Dean looked around to see Castiel gone, and Sara alone.

"Go back and check on Pamela, Sara," Dean said. "If something happened to her, it's your ass, you understand me?" He pointed at her for emphasis. Sara just nodded, already feeling the dread in her stomach, and a weakened Pamela calling her back.

Dean was called back to his body, and Sara could teleport in. When she arrived, she found Pamela holding a stab wound that looked to be freshly bleeding. Dammit, she's been attacked, she thought, angry with herself for leaving.

"Hey, we've just got to talk to Tessa, that's all," Sam was saying. "Get her to hold off reaping till we get you better."

"I'm pretty sure she's started up again," Pamela said, clearly able to feel the blood pouring over her hand.

"What happened?" Dean asked as he sat up and saw the blood. He shot a glare at Sara, who remained emotionless.

"Dean, where's Tessa?" Sam asked.

"She's," Dean began, but he couldn't get the sentence out as Pamela took off her sunglasses.

"Pamela, I'm so sorry," Sam said, trying to think of a way to save her. Dean shot another glare at Sara, catching her eyes this time.

"Stop," Pamela said, her voice getting weaker.

"Sara, you promised you would watch her," he snarled.

"Don't get mad at the kid," Pamela cut in. "I forced her out. She sensed that you were in trouble and I made her leave. Wouldn't let her come back in, either." Dean looked at the psychic, surprised.

"You don't deserve this," Sam said. Sara agreed.

"Yeah, I don't," Pamela grunted. "I told you I didn't want anything to do with this. Do me a favor? Tell that bastard Bobby Singer – to go to hell for ever introducing me to you two in the first place." As she started coughing, the other three people in the room were overwhelmed with guilt. Sara felt a nudge in the back of her mind. Kat was pushing to drive. Sara closed her eyes and let the witch through.

Kat opened her eyes to the motel room, immediately focusing on the psychic dying in front of her. Said psychic turned her white eyes to her, sensing the change.

"Well, never thought I would get to meet you," she said.

"Pamela, what're you talking about?" Sam asked. "It's Sarakiel."

"No, it's not," Pamela said. Kat looked at Sam, her blue-gray eyes sparkling.

"Hi there," she said. "I'm Kat, Sara's vessel." She looked over her shoulder at Dean, who looked as surprised as his brother. Kat turned her attention back to Pamela. "Is there anything I can do to make this easier on you?"

"Not unless you can turn back time and keep me from meeting these two," Pamela half laughed, half snarled. Kat managed a small chuckle.

"I can't do that, but I can manage to make the pain go away," she replied. Pamela nodded, and Kat held three fingers to her mouth, quietly muttering a spell. Sam and Dean couldn't hear what she was saying, but when she pressed those three fingers to Pamela's hand, she noticeably relaxed. The coughing continued, but they could tell that there was no pain.

"Take it easy, Pamela," Dean said. "If it's any consolation, you're going to a better place." Kat, despite knowing that heaven existed, frowned slightly at the older Winchester.

"You're lying," Pamela choked out. "But what the hell, right? Everybody's got to go sometime." Sam and Dean looked at each other before Pamela beckoned Sam closer. As she whispered something, Kat noticed his body tense up. Since this was the first time meeting the two, she focused on Sam, and found a dark presence inside of him. She was worried for him, and had a feeling that Pamela was warning him about what was inside of him. When Sam leaned back, he was visibly shaken. Pamela coughed up blood, and was still. There was a sudden rush of wind, and Kat felt Sarakiel leave her body, throwing her to the floor in the process.

"Kat, you okay?" Sam asked, helping her up. "What was that?"

"Sara," Kat said. "She's gone."

"What did she say to you?" Dean asked Sam, jerking his head at Pamela. The younger brother didn't answer. They just looked at the body of the psychic in front of them. Even Kat felt horrible, despite not knowing her very well. Even then, the question remained on everyone's minds: Where had Sarakiel gone?


	6. This is God's Will?

I don't own Supernatural. I own Kat and Sarakiel. Contains action and dialogue from Season 4, Episode 16: On the Head of a Pin.

Sarakiel looked around, finding herself back in Heaven. Michael was waiting for her.

"I wish you would tell me when you were leaving, Sarakiel," he said, absently playing with his blade.

"Last time I checked, you're not Father, Michael. You could have killed my vessel," Sarakiel replied. He looked at her, mild amusement on his face.

"One less witch in the world as far as I'm concerned. And I've been more of a father to you than Father ever was, little sister," he replied. "I raised you, Raphael, and Gabriel. When Lucifer fell, who was there to take care of you?"

"Gabriel was the only one who would comfort me," Sarakiel spat. "You just provided me with a distraction, in the form of more work. Gabriel sat and listened to me. He held my hand, he let me cry on his shoulder. Gabriel was the closest thing to a brother that I had, and no one knows where he is; not even Father."

"Gabriel ran away from you. He ran away from us all," Michael hissed. "You're as ungrateful as Lucifer was. Perhaps you should join him in the coming battle."

"Coming battle?" Sarakiel asked. "Michael, what are you talking about?" Michael stopped, a look of panic briefly crossing his face. Sarakiel realized that he had said too much, and the pieces were starting to fall in to place. She was about to say something, when a report came in over Angel Radio. Seven angels from the Prophet garrison had been killed, and Uriel had been dispatched to bring Dean Winchester to the demon Alastair, to interrogate him. Castiel was there to assist. "Raphael's doing, no doubt," Sarakiel said. "He's barely been in charge for a month, and seven of our brothers and sisters are dead, Michael. Restore my command. I should be taking care of this."

"I'm sorry, sister," Michael said, coming up to her. "I can't have you getting in the way." Sarakiel opened her mouth to say something, when Michael smacked her with the hilt of his blade, knocking her unconscious.

When she awoke, Sarakiel found herself in a well-furnished room. For all intents and purposes, it just looked like a bedroom in a very nice house. However, Sarakiel could see all the sigils on the walls, preventing most Angels, Demons, and anything else from coming in, and keeping her from getting out. Upon closer inspection, the walls were iron, and coated in salt. It reminded her coldly of the cage that Lucifer was currently being held in. A flutter of wings behind her made her turn, and saw Raphael standing there.

"I'm sorry that it's come to this, sister," he said, his deep voice resonating within the room.

"It's nice to see you too, Raphael," Sarakiel hissed. "What is all of this?"

"It's for your own good," Raphael replied.

"Bullshit," Sarakiel said. "Michael mentioned that I was getting in the way of some plan, and I want to know what it is. I would also like to know how seven of our brothers and sisters from the same garrison died under your watch, Raphael." Raphael smiled gently and walked toward her, his hand resting on her shoulder.

"Everything will be revealed in time," he said softly. "Until then, Michael wants you safe. The Winchesters and Earth will be fine without you, as will Castiel. It's better that he be nowhere near you. He's starting to feel emotions, and we can't have that." Sarakiel felt her breath catch in her chest.

"Leave him alone, Raphael," she said. "Leave them all alone."

"I can't do that. We saw what happened with Anna. We don't need another disobedient Angel on our hands, now do we?" Raphael said, his hand still on her shoulder.

"Keep pushing him like this, and he may end up disobeying anyway," Sarakiel pointed out. "Maybe he's supposed to. Maybe Father made him to be that fresh new angel that we so desperately need."

"Father wouldn't do something like that," Raphael chuckled. However, Sarakiel could see that she was getting under his skin. She decided to keep going.

"How do you know? How do we know anything that Father would or wouldn't do? You certainly don't," she said, digging further. "How do I know that you're not confusing Michael with Father?"

"Michael is a good son. He would never lead us astray," Raphael said, a hint of a growl touching his voice. Sarakiel smiled wickedly.

"You don't know that," she whispered. "How do you know Michael isn't going to do exactly what Lucifer did?" That earned her another smack on the face.

"Shut your mouth, little snake," Raphael shouted. "Michael knows what is best for us, and you're not going to poison me against him." He looked around the room. "This room was specifically designed for you. You can't get out, and only Michael and I can get in."

"There's a failsafe," Sarakiel spat from the floor, rubbing her cheek. "There's always a failsafe." Raphael hesitated for a moment, and then an evil grin spread across his face.

"There is," he said. "Someone can pray to you to bring him out. Too bad no one knows about you." A flutter of wings and he was gone. Terror gripped Sarakiel's stomach. He was right. No one knew about her, and the ones that did would just assume that she was back in Heaven, working. The Winchesters probably wanted nothing to do with her after Pamela, and Castiel couldn't save her with prayer. Kat maybe, but witches didn't pray, and when they did, they were generally ignored.

She was trapped, and at the mercy of her older brothers.

Out of desperation, Sarakiel kneeled at her bed, folded her hands, and began praying.

"Castiel, can you hear me? Please, answer me," she whispered. No response.

"Anna? I know you can still hear the radio. Please, Anna, I need help," she said, her voice becoming louder.

"Michael, I know you can hear me. Get me out of here!" She was shouting now. She got up and slammed her fists against the walls, a primal scream tearing from her throat. She even drew her blade and attacked the walls. There wasn't even a scratch on them. One sigil she hit sent her flying across the room, slamming into the far wall. She didn't even bother to get up. She just sat there and cried.

Her brothers had betrayed her.

Someone was killing her brothers and sisters.

Castiel was going to lose himself.

The Winchesters were in danger.

And she was trapped here…unable to do anything.

"Father," she whispered through the tears. "Father, please." She knew that it was probably in vain, since her father had been gone for centuries. "Please," she called out. "Help me!"

Kat stuck with the Winchesters for Pamela's funeral. Sam was driving Baby, Dean was riding shotgun, and Kat was in the back.

"Ruby will meet us outside Cheyenne. She's been tracking some leads," Sam was saying to Dean, who didn't seem to be listening all that much. "I know she's not exactly on your Christmas list, but if she can help us get to Lilith – "

"Hey, man. Work with Ruby, don't. I don't really give a rat's ass," Dean interrupted.

"What's your problem?" Sam asked, lashing back.

"Pamela didn't want anything to do with this and we dragged her back into it, Sam," Dean retorted. They had just come from burying her, so Kat understood that he was upset.

"She knew what was at stake," Sam said. Sensing the tension, Kat decided to stay out of the conversation, having no idea what had happened before Sarakiel let her ride shotgun.

"Oh yeah," Dean said, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Saving the world. And we're doing such a damn good job of it."

"Dean…"

"I'm tired of burying friends, Sam." Dean was pissed and tired.

"Look, we catch a fresh trail –"

"And we follow it, I know. Like I said, I'm just – I'm getting tired," Dean said. Sam and Kat could both hear it clearly.

"Well, get angry," Sam said. The group returned to the motel room, intent on resting.

"Home, crappy home," Dean said, as Sam flicked on the lights. Kat was staying with them, since they were so far from her home. Dean had offered to share a bed, but Kat opted for Sam. The big guy seemed more comfortable, and less likely to make a move, than his older brother. Everything was put on hold when they saw two figures waiting for them.

"Winchester and Winchester," Uriel said, his deep voice resonating through the room. Castiel was standing behind him. Uriel's eyes fell on Kat, who took a step behind Sam. "So meek now, Sarakiel?" he mocked.

"Double check, she's gone," Kat said. Dean stepped in front of her, an arm extending slightly in a protective gesture that made Castiel frown slightly.

"You are needed," Uriel said, turning back to Dean.

"Needed? We just got back from needed," Dean snapped.

"Now, you mind your tone with me," Uriel warned.

"No, you mind your damn tone with us," Dean retorted, already on a short fuse.

"We just got back from Pamela's funeral," Sam explained.

"Pamela. You know, psychic Pamela?" Dean said, rounding on Castiel. "You remember her. Cas, you remember her. You burned her eyes out. Remember that? Good times. Yeah, then she died saving one of your precious seals. So maybe you can stop pushing us around like chess pieces for FIVE FREAKING MINUTES!" He was livid. Kat actually backed up a little more. Sam reached behind him and pulled her close.

"We raised you out of hell for our purposes," Uriel said.

"Yeah, what were those again?" Dean asked, still on the offensive. "What exactly did you want from me?"

"Start with gratitude," Uriel replied.

"Oh," Dean said, brushing that off.

"Dean, we know this is difficult for you to understand," Castiel said, stepping forward towards Dean.

"And we don't care," Uriel finished, giving Castiel a look that even pissed Kat off. "Now, seven angels have been murdered, all of them from our garrison. The last one was killed last night."

"Demons?" Dean asked, giving a decent amount of interest. "How they doing it?"

"We don't know," Uriel replied.

"I'm sorry, but what do you want us to do about it?" Sam asked. "I mean, a demon with juice to ice angels has to be out of our league."

"Sara said a demon couldn't kill an angel," Kat said, stepping out from behind Sam to stand beside him.

"They cannot," Uriel confirmed. "We can handle the demons, thank you very much."

"Once we find whoever it is," Castiel added.

"So you need our help hunting a demon?" Dean said.

"Not quite," Castiel replied. "We have Alastair."

"Great," Dean said. "He should be able to name your trigger man."

"But he won't talk," Castiel added. "Alastair's will is very strong. We've arrived at an impasse." Kat looked at Sam, confused.

"Alastair's been nothing but trouble for us. The angels caught him the last time Sarakiel was here," he explained.

"Speaking of, where is she?" Kat asked, looking at the two angels.

"Don't speak to us, witch," Uriel spat.

"Up yours too, jackass," Kat replied. "I was talking to Castiel." She looked at Cas, who just shook his head.

"Yeah, well, Alastair has a blackbelt in torture. I mean, you guys are out of your league," Dean said, turning the conversation back to the topic at hand.

"That's why we've come to his student," Uriel replied. "You happen to be the most qualified interrogator we've got." Dean just looked down. Sam and Kat looked at Dean, waiting for an answer. Kat had questions for days, but right now, she knew that the questions would wait.

"Dean, you are our best hope," Cas said, trying to reason with the older Winchester.

"No," Dean said. "No way. You can't ask me to do this, Cas. Not this." He was pleading with the blue-eyed angel. Kat looked at Cas, thinking the same thing. Dean didn't want to do this, and Cas couldn't make him…right?

"Who said anything about asking?" Uriel said, walking up to Dean. Uriel jerked his head at Kat, and the next thing the two humans knew, they were somewhere else.

They were in some abandoned building. Alastair was in a room, strapped to a hexacle. Underneath him was something that Kat recognized as a Devil's trap. Dean and Sam had been teaching her a few things, and she had read a book or two.

"This devil's trap is old Enochian," Castiel explained. "He's bound completely."

"Enochian?" Kat asked, walking around and examining the trap.

"Language of the angels," Castiel replied.

"Fascinating," Dean said, though not sounding so. He started to look around the room. "Where's the door?"

"Where are you going?" Castiel asked.

"Hitch back to Cheyenne, thank you very much," Dean replied, grabbing Kat's arm. Uriel blocked his path as he walked out, grabbing Kat away from him with some force, shoving her towards Castiel. Castiel caught her, holding her in place. Kat glared at him, but he wasn't looking at her.

"Get off me, feather brain!" Kat shouted, struggling against his grip. Castiel looked at her and flicked his right hand. Kat's protests stopped dead in her throat as she saw the angel blade fly into his hand. She looked back into the blue eyes of the angel, who spared her only one more glance to ensure her cooperation before turning his attention back to the conversation.

"Angels are dying boy," Uriel said.

"Everybody's dying these days," Dean retorted. "And hey, I get it. You're all-powerful. You can make me do whatever you want. But you can't make me do this. Now, give me back the girl, and I won't have to gank your junkless ass."

"This is too much to ask, I know," Castiel said. "But we have to ask it." Dean looked at Castiel for a moment, his eyes lingering on Kat.

"I want to talk to Cas alone," he told Uriel, turning back to the other angel. Uriel just smiled.

"I think I'll go seek revelation," he said. "We might have some further orders."

"Well, get some donuts while you're out," Dean muttered. Uriel just laughed.

"Ah, this one won't quit, will he? I think I'm starting to like you boy, but I wonder why you're so worried about this little witch," Uriel said. "Castiel, see that she behaves." He vanished.

"You guys don't walk enough," Dean said. "You're gonna get flabby." Castiel didn't say anything. "You know, I'm starting to think junkless has a better sense of humor than you do," he scoffed.

"Uriel's the funniest angel in the garrison," Castiel said, letting Kat go and putting his weapon away. He seemed confused. "Ask anyone." Dean and Kat looked at each other, Kat cocking an eyebrow. Dean walked up to the angel.

"What's going on, Cas? Since when does Uriel put a leash on you?" he asked.

"My superiors have begun to question my sympathies," Castiel replied.

"Sarakiel thought that?" Kat asked. Castiel just shook his head.

"I haven't heard from Sarakiel for a few days," Castiel said. "I was getting too close to the humans in my charge. You," he nodded at Dean. "They feel I've begun to express emotions. The doorways to doubt. This can impair my judgement."

"Well, tell Uriel, of whoever…you do not want me doing this, trust me," Dean said.

"Want it, no. But I have been told we need it," Castiel pressed.

"You ask me to open that door and walk through it, you will not like what walks out," Dean pushed back. Kat was getting scared now.

"Castiel, maybe you should listen to him," she said quietly.

"And why is she here?" Dean asked, pointing to the witch.

"She's been brought to ensure your cooperation," Castiel said quietly.

"A hostage," Kat said, pissed. "You brought me here as a freaking hostage? I'm Sara's vessel for crying out loud. What happens if she comes back? She's gonna be pissed." Castiel looked between the two of them before refocusing on Dean.

"For what it's worth, I would give anything not to have you do this," he said. Kat believed him, much to her surprise. Dean closed his eyes, seemingly mulling things over. The next thing she was aware of, Dean was walking in to the room with Alastair, a loaded cart of tools, salt, and holy water in front of him, and she was chained to a chair by her ankles. The door closed, and shortly afterward, they could hear Alastair screaming. Kat was sat down in front of Castiel, and he just looked off to the side, purposefully trying to not look at her. Kat was having none of that.

"So…Uriel got booted above you, huh?" she asked casually. Castiel looked at her, confused, but didn't say a word. "Not gonna talk to me?" Kat said wryly. "Ooookaaay. This is awkward." There were a few more seconds of silence that Kat couldn't bear. Finally, she took a leap that Sarakiel would probably hate her for later.

"Sara likes you." That got his attention.

Castiel's head snapped toward her so fast, she was afraid he was going to break his own neck. His blue eyes were wide. "What do you mean?" he asked her, leaning forward.

"You know exactly what I mean, Angel face," Kat replied. "And I think you like her, too."

"Well, we've been friends for a long time. I can see…" Castiel began, but Kat's barking laugh cut him off.

"Friends? Oh, you're way more than a friend to her, pretty boy," she said. "She's got a MASSIVE crush on you. Last time you two were alone together, during that Samhain thing – and it's sow-en, by the way – she wanted to kiss you SOO badly that I almost rode shotgun just to get her to do it."

"You mean…you almost kissed me?" Castiel asked, sweating a little. Another scream came from the room behind him.

"Well, I was going to make contact and then switch out, but I guess I'm not strong enough to force her out of the way," Kat mused, smiling slightly at the scared and slightly embarrassed look on Castiel's face. "Awww, that look is adorable on you, Castiel." The angel sat back, trying to keep himself together. Kat leaned forward, the smile fading from her face as she studied him. "You like her too," she said quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Castiel said, getting up and walking away. Kat stood, her jaw dropping slightly.

"Jesus Christ, you do," she said, the smile returning to her face as she jumped up. "You like her too! Why don't you tell her? She'll be so happy!"

"Enough!" Castiel shouted. He turned back to the girl, eyes blazing blue. He flung out a hand, forcing her to sit down. He covered the space between them quickly and got right in her face. Kat's breath caught in her chest. She was horrified. "She's my superior and my friend, nothing more," he growled. His eyes faded, and he sat back down. Kat exhaled, her heart racing. She looked down and kept her mouth shut. The only noises were her heaving for breath, and the occasional scream from Alastair.

As they sat in the room, listening to the screams and groans of Alastair, the light started flickering. Castiel and Kat looked up as the bulb exploded. Kat looked behind Castiel and saw another woman standing there. Castiel stood up.

"Anna," he said, surprised.

"Hello, Castiel," the woman said. Kat could only guess that she was another angel. She had a vague memory from a previous encounter with an angel called Anna, but it was one of Sara's memories that just kind of lingered. Castiel turned and looked at her.

"Your human body," he commented, looking her up and down.

"It was destroyed," Anna replied. "I know. But I guess I'm sentimental. Called in some old favors and…"

"You shouldn't be here," Castiel said as Alastair's screams became louder. "We still have orders to kill you."

"Somehow, I don't think you'll try," Anna said with a grin. "Where's Uriel? And why is she here?"

"He went to receive 'revelation', whatever that means," Kat said. "I'm here to make sure that Dean does what Uriel says. Not sure why he picked me, though."

"Wait, I remember you," Anna said, getting a good look at her. "You're Sarakiel's vessel." She was quiet for a moment, looking at Castiel, and then back at Kat. "Revelation, huh? Right." She looked off towards the room where Dean was torturing Alastair. "What are you letting Dean do this?" she asked Castiel.

"He's doing God's work," Castiel replied, almost too quickly. Kat wanted to punch him for that. Witch or not, she knew that this isn't what any decent deity would want their children to do.

"Torturing?" Anna asked, giving voice to Kat's thoughts. "That's God's work? Stop him, Cas, please. Before you ruin the one real weapon you have."

"Who are we to question the will of God?" Castiel fired back.

"Unless this isn't his will," Anna replied.

"Then where do the orders come from?" Castiel asked.

"I don't know. One of our superiors, maybe, but not him," Anna said. "The father you love. You think he wants this? You think he'd ask for this? You think this is righteous?" When Castiel couldn't meet her gaze, both Anna and Kat knew that he had questions. "What you're feeling? It's called doubt." Kat watched as Anna walked over to Castiel, touching his hand. "These orders are wrong and you know it. But you can do the right thing. You're afraid, Cas. I was too, but together, we can still –"

"Together?" Castiel repeated, yanking his hand away. "I am nothing like you," he spat. "You fell. Go."

"Cas…"

"Go!" Anna vanished as Alastair's screams echoed into their room. Kat sighed.

"You should have listened to her, Castiel," Kat said, leaning back in her chair.

"And why would I take any advice from a witch?" Castiel spat. Kat cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"The witch who happens to be the vessel of an archangel?" she asked. Castiel looked at her, as if what she said was news to him. "Sara would say that this is wrong, Castiel. She would tell you to stop. She wouldn't let Dean be in there for a second longer."

"Her name is Sarakiel. You would do well to use it," Castiel corrected her.

"I call her that because I know her just as well as you do, feather face," Kat spat at him. "I may be a witch, but when she's with me…I finally feel like I'm making a difference in the world. That's why I said yes, Castiel." She was about to continue, when a shout from Dean drew both of their attentions. Castiel ran into the room, grabbing a knife from the floor. Kat tried to get loose, but the chains holding her were strong. She wanted to avoid using magick, but it was becoming increasingly likely that she would have to if she wanted out. All she could do was sit there and watch as Alastair beat the hell out of Dean, and then tried to exorcise Castiel, something that Kat didn't even know was possible. Suddenly, Alastair was thrown backwards by some unknown force. Kat's breath hitched in her chest when she saw Sam, hand outstretched towards the demon.

"Who's murdering the angels? How are they doing it?" Sam demanded.

"You think I'm gonna tell you?" Alastair scoffed.

"Yeah, I do," Sam said, brimming with confidence. Kat could sense the power inside of the younger brother. It was dark, just like Pamela had said. Sam twisted his hand, and Alastair started choking. Mustering some strength, Kat muttered a spell under her breath and finally broke her chains. She ran into the room as Sam continued to choke and interrogate the demon.

"How are the demons killing angels?" Sam asked again.

"I don't know," Alastair managed to get out. Sam relented.

"Right," he scoffed.

"It's not us. We're not doing it," Alastair insisted.

"I don't believe you," Sam said.

"Lilith is not behind this. She wouldn't kill seven angels," Alastair gloated. "She'd kill a hundred, a thousand." Sam stopped, looking at the demon. "Oh, go ahead. Send me back, if you can."

"I'm stronger than that now," Sam said. "Now I can kill." Kat watched in horror as Sam held out his hand. Alastair screamed as a gold light flared inside of him.

"Sam, stop!" Kat screamed. But it was too late. Alastair's host collapsed, dead.

Kat and Sam sat next to a heavily bandaged Dean. A breathing tube was down his throat, and an IV was in his arm. A flutter of wings made both of them look up. Castiel was standing in the doorway, looking at Dean. He paused, and then walked down the hallway. Sam got up and followed him out of the room. She didn't hear the conversation, but when Sam came back, he looked even more pissed.

"Angel boy won't help, huh?" Kat asked quietly. Sam just shook his head and sat down. They just looked at the unconscious Dean. Kat closed her eyes and started praying, calling for Sarakiel to come down and help. Nothing happened. Where in the hell is she?

"Wait, what about Sara?" Sam asked. "Where did she go?"

"I don't know," Kat replied. Sam fumed for a minute. Then, something popped into his head.

If something is going on, Michael and Raphael don't want me to know.

"Maybe she found out," he said quietly.

"What?"

"Sarakiel said that something was going on that Michael and Raphael didn't want her to know about," Sam continued, getting up and pacing. "Maybe she found out what they didn't want her to know, and now she's stuck…or dead." Kat's heart leaped to her throat.

"She can't be dead," Kat whispered. "I'd know. I'd know if she was dead." Sam realized what he had said, and immediately backtracked.

"She's probably not dead," he tried. "They've probably just figured out a way to keep her up there."

"The idea is stuck in my head now, sasquatch," Kat spat, getting up and walking out into the hallway. Sam didn't give up, though.

"Did you try praying?"

"Prayers of a witch aren't exactly a hot commodity in heaven, Sam," Kat scoffed. "Even her own vessel can't find her." Tears started forming in her eyes as she realized just how helpless she was. Sam mentally kicked himself for worrying the kid, and gently brought her in for a hug, trying to comfort her. Kat was too tired and too upset to fight. She just felt…useless.

"It's gonna be okay, Kat," Sam said quietly, wrapping both arms around her and holding her close. "Sara's fine. If she's stuck, we'll find a way to rescue her." He wasn't sure how to do that, and Kat knew this.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Sam," Kat said, laughing slightly. The warm hug felt good, though. She could tell that, should he ever have kids, he would be a great dad. The two of them just stood in the hallway, Kat wrapped in Sam's arms.

THE NEXT DAY

Sam went out to get lunch, leaving Kat to sit with Dean. The breathing tube had been removed, but he was still sleeping. Kat was reading her book of shadows, trying to find something to summon a specific spirit that could be done quickly, quietly, and safely. She didn't even look up when she heard a flutter of wings.

"Nice of you to drop by again," Kat said wryly, looking up to lock eyes with Castiel.

"I was looking in to the devil's trap," Castiel said. Kat closed her book, noticing something different in his blue eyes.

"What did you find?"

"I would like to tell Dean," Castiel replied, sitting down in Sam's chair, on the far side of Dean's bed.

"You may be waiting for a while," Kat said, jerking her head in sleeping Dean's direction. "I can call you when he wakes up, if you want."

"I can wait."

"Is Uriel going to be happy about this?"

"Uriel is no longer a concern," Castiel said, with some finality in his voice. He looked out the window and sat in silence. Kat didn't push the issue, though she had some idea that it was something. Rather than sitting in uncomfortable silence, Kat changed the subject.

"Did you find out anything about Sarakiel?" she asked, choosing to use her full name. Castiel looked at her. He seemed confused.

"Why do you care so much about an angel?" he asked.

"I'm her vessel, Castiel, remember? When you have someone that close to you for that long, you start to care, regardless of religion," Kat replied. When the confusion didn't leave his face, Kat just smiled. "She's my friend, and I love her as a friend would love a friend." He was about to say something when Dean woke up.

"Are you alright?" Castiel asked him.

"No thanks to you," Dean replied, his voice rough and weak.

"You need to be more careful," Castiel said.

"You need to learn how to manage a damn devil's trap," Dean shot back. Kat smiled. He had lost none of his charm.

"That's not what I mean," Castiel retorted. "Uriel is dead." That caught both Dean and Kat off guard.

"Was it demons?" Dean asked.

"It was disobedience," Castiel replied. "He was working against us." Kat frowned slightly. She knew that Sara didn't like him, and now she knew why.

"Is it true?" Dean asked quietly. "Did I break the first seal? Did I start all this?" Guessing that it was something that Alastair said, Kat could see the tears starting to form in his eyes.

"Yes," Castiel replied. Kat wanted to backhand him for the lack of tact. "When we discovered Lilith's plan for you, we laid siege to hell and we fought our way to get you before you – "

"Jump-started the apocalypse," Dean finished for him, sounding defeated.

"And we were too late."

"Why didn't you just leave me there, then?" Dean asked.

"It's not blame that falls to you, Dean, it's fate," Castiel replied. "The righteous man who begins it is the only one who can finish it. You have to stop it."

"Lucifer?" Dean asked, worried. "The apocalypse? What does that mean?" When Castiel, went to leave, Dean's voice stopped him. "Hey! Don't you go disappearing on me, you son of a bitch. What does that mean!"

"Castiel, answer him, please," Kat pleaded with him, putting a hand on Dean's arm to calm him down. Castiel, looked at both of them before answering.

"I don't know."

"Bull," Dean spat.

"I don't, Dean," Castiel insisted. Kat believed him. Sarakiel was an archangel and she didn't know what was going on. A grunt like Castiel wasn't going to know anything either. "They don't tell me much. I know our fate rests with you."

"Well, then you guys are screwed. I can't do it, Cas. It's too big," Dean said, the tears starting to flow freely. "Alastair was right. I'm not all here. I'm not…I'm not strong enough. Well, I guess I'm not the man either of our dads wanted me to be. Find someone else. It's not me." All Kat could do was sit there and hold his hand as he cried. She realized that she was seeing Dean at his weakest. When Castiel got up and walked out, and Kat ran right after him.

"Castiel, don't you dare," she said, her voice cracking. The angel stopped, and turned around to face the witch. "Don't you dare leave him in there without some form of comfort. Promise him that it will be okay, promise to help him through it, something, dammit!"

"I don't know what to do, Katherine," Castiel replied, shocking the girl at the use of her full name. "Human emotions are a mystery to me."

"Well, let me give you a crash course, feather brain," Kat said. "Dean feels weak. He feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he won't bring Sam into it, putting even more weight on him. He's broken, and heaven just put the massive weight of saving the world on his shoulders. Right now, he needs help. He doesn't need to help you; you need to help him." Kat turned on her heel and went to go back in to Dean's room. "Oh, and you'd better find Sara. We need an archangel on our side right now." She walked back in to the room and shut the door, leaving the blue-eyed angel dumbstruck in the hallway.


	7. It's a Misery Thing, isn't it? Part 1

I own Kat and Sarakiel. I do not own Supernatural. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 18: The Monster at the End of this Book.

Kat was working on her laptop in their motel room. She had already spelled the room against demons and anything else that she could think of, and was using the downtime to do her real job. She was a translator and travel blogger. She was fluent in German and Japanese, which was a great asset to many businesses. Her travel blog had taken off, especially since she started traveling with Dean and Sam. On top of local legends, Kat took pride in spotlighting locally-owned businesses. She never ate at a chain restaurant, and avoided shopping at major stores wherever she went. Her family owned a small business back home, so supporting the mom-and-pop stores all over the country made Kat feel that she was doing her part. Between the translation work for some major companies, and the blogs that got sponsored all over the web, Kat made enough to help pay her own way with the Winchesters. They insisted it was fine, but Kat knew better. At the moment, she was working on a business proposal that a client wanted to send to a potential buyer in Germany. She knew that the buyer spoke English, but getting a proposal that was written in their native language was impressive, and had landed deals more times than she could count.

She had just sent the document back to her client when Sam and Dean stormed in. Sam jumped right on his laptop and got to work.

"What did you guys find?" She asked as Sam delved into the internet for research. The younger Winchester pointed to Dean, who in turn handed her a book. Kat looked at the cover, confused. "Supernatural, by Carver Edlund…you guys found a book?"

"Oh, keep reading," Dean said, motioning for her to open the book, a nervous look on his face and sarcastic tone in his voice. He was shaken, Kat could tell. She did as she was told, and quickly discovered why. Just a cursory skim of the book revealed intimate details of Sam and Dean's lives, including Dean having sex. Dean laid down on one of the beds and flipped through his own copy. "This is freakin' insane. How's this guy know all this stuff?" Dean asked no one in particular.

"You got me," Sam said from his seat by the window.

"Everything is in here. I mean, everything," Dean continued. "From the racist truck to….to me having sex. I'm full frontal in here, dude." He got up and went to over to Kat and his brother. "How come we haven't heard of them before?"

"They're pretty obscure," Sam replied, looking over what he was reading on his computer. "I mean, almost zero circulation." Kat looked over his shoulder and read quietly as Sam continued. "Uh, started in '05. The publisher put out a couple dozen before going bankrupt. And, uh, the last one – No Rest for the Wicked," Sam turned the computer towards Dean. "Ends with you going to hell."

"I reiterate: freaking insane," Dean said as he sat down and began to peruse the website Sam had shown him. Kat sat back down across from the two. Even she had to admit that this was crazy. "Check it out, there's actually fans," Dean seemed surprised. "There's not many of them, but still. Did you read this?" he asked Sam.

"Yeah."

"Although, for fans, they sure do complain a lot," Dean continued as he scanned what Kat could only guess were reviews. "Listen to this – Simpatico says 'the demon story line is trite, clichéd, and overall craptastic.' Yeah, well, screw you, Simpatico. We lived it."

"Dean, don't talk to the reviewers," Kat said. "To them, this is fake. They don't know that this actually happened, and would probably shit themselves if they had ever faced anything that you guys have."

"Keep reading, it gets better," Sam said, a grim look on his face.

"There are 'Sam girls' and 'Dean girls' and…what's a 'slash fan'?" Dean said. Kat winced.

"As in….Sam slash Dean…together," Sam answered, making a face like he had just tasted something so disgusting. Kat couldn't help but agree. There had been no doubt in her mind that some incest fans would pop up. Things like this always happened, especially when there was more than one male protagonist in a story. For those types of fans, the familial relationship made it more forbidden, and therefore, more enticing.

"Like, together together?" Kat stifled a snort at the look on Dean's face.

"Yeah," Sam answered, still wincing.

"They know we're brothers, right?"

"Doesn't seem to matter." The disgust on Dean's face was only rivaled by Sam's. Dean looked at Kat, who was completely unfazed by what she had heard.

"How does that not bug you?" he asked her, incredulous.

"Dean, I work on the internet for a living," Kat replied. "I've read my share of fanfiction. You'd be surprised how many stories put siblings in romantic relationships. It's forbidden in society, and that makes it all the sexier." When Dean gave her a look that clearly said 'I'm going to kill you, Kat', she added. "Hey, I don't say that I like that kind of stuff. I read it to understand that type of fan. Helps me when I write."

"You're a travel blogger," Sam pointed out.

"With many different types of readers. I feature local stories like that sometimes. You'd be surprised the likes that those entries get," Kat said with a shrug.

"Oh, come on. That…That's just sick," Dean said, shutting Sam's laptop. "We've got to find this Carver Edlund."

"Yeah, that might not be so easy," Sam commented.

"Why not?"

"No tax records, no known address," Sam answered.

"That means Carver Edlund is a pen name," Kat said.

"Somebody's gotta know who he is," Dean said, getting frustrated. Kat then perked up.

"What about his publisher?" she asked. Sam looked at Kat, catching on to her train of thought.

The next day, the three sat in a meeting with Supernatural's publisher, Sera Siege. Getting a meeting with her was easy, thanks to Kat's travel blog and her reputation for spotlighting local businesses. As they sat with her, Kat pegged her as the type of person that would have enjoyed those books, which is probably why she agreed to publish them.

"So, you published the Supernatural books?" Sam asked Sera.

"Yep. Yeah," she answered. "Gosh. These books…You know, they never really got the attention they deserved. All anybody wants to read anymore is that romance crap. You know – Dr. Sexy, M.D.? Please," she scoffed.

"Right, well, we're hoping that our blog can shine a light on an underappreciated series," Sam said.

"I have to admit, I was surprised when you called me, Miss Elsin," Sera said. "I'm a big fan of your blog."

"Thanks," Kat replied. "We really do appreciate you agreeing to this."

"Well, if we got a little bit of good press, then m-maybe we could start publishing again," she said, hopeful.

"No, no, no, no. God no!" Dean exclaimed. Kat shot him a glare from behind Sera that could have cowed Lucifer himself. "I mean, why…why would you want to do that?" Dean corrected himself. "You know, it's, uh, such a complete series, what with Dean going to hell and all."

"Oh my God! That was one of my favorite ones!" Sera exclaimed, getting very emotional. "Because Dean was so…strong…and sad and brave. And Sam…I mean, the best parts are when they'd cry." Kat started feeling ill as Sera continued. "You, like in – in Heart, when Sam had to kill Madison, the first woman since Jessica he really loved. And in Home, when Dean had to call John and ask him for help." She turned away from them, leaving the three to look at each other in wonder. Kat felt a small sense of guilt. These were things that Sam and Dean hadn't shared with her, but she never pried. She was finding these things out from a third party, someone who had no idea that these things had actually happened. "Gosh…if only real men were so open and in touch with their feelings."

"Real men?" Dean asked, getting pissed.

"I mean, no offense," Sera replied. "How often do you cry like that, hmm?" Kat looked at Dean, who paid her no mind.

"Well, right now, I'm crying on the inside," Dean replied. Shit, Kat thought.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Sera was getting angry now, which was only going to escalate Dean even further.

"Lady, this whole thing is funny," he said.

"How do I know that this whole thing is legit, hmm?" Sera asked, now rounding on Sam and Kat.

"Oh trust me, we, uh…we're legit," Dean said, trying to remedy the situation before Kat got angry.

"Well, I don't want a smart-ass article making fun of my boys," Sera said, talking about them like they were her own children.

"No!" Sam said, standing up and taking charge. "No, no, no. Never."

"No, that's…" Dean tried to get words out with his brother.

"We – we are actually um…big fans," Sam said.

"You've read the books?" Sera seemed skeptical. She looked at Sam and Dean, and then at Kat.

"I only just started reading them," Kat said. "But these two got me on them. You won't find any bigger fans than these two."

"What's the year and model of the car?" Sera asked Dean.

"It's a 1967 Chevy Impala," Dean replied, a smile coming across his face.

"What's May 2nd?"

"That's my – uh – that's Sam's birthday," Sam replied.

"January 24th is Dean's" Dean added.

"Sam's score on the LSAT?"

"1…74?" Sam replied, looking at his brother. Kat couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Dean's favorite song?"

"It's a tie between Zep's Ramble On and Traveling Riverside Blues," Dean said. Sera was visibly impressed.

"Okay, okay. What do you want to know?"

"What's Carver Edlund's real name?" Sam asked, getting right to the point.

"Oh, no. I…no, sorry, I can't do that," Sera replied. Kat knew that it was going to be difficult. Publishers kept their client's stuff confidential, especially if they liked them.

"We just want to talk to him. You know, get the Supernatural story in his own words," Sam pressed her, even laying on a little of the puppy dog look.

"He's very private," Sera insisted. "It's like Salinger."

"Please," Sam pleaded. "Like I said…we are, um…" He cringed slightly as he unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his anti-possession tattoo, a pentacle surrounded by flame. They made Kat get one a few days after the incident with Alistair. She had it done over her heart, like the boys did. Sam looked to Dean, pointedly. "Big…big fans." Dean, with a grimace, showed her his own tattoo. Sera licked her lips, which scared all three of them.

"Awesome," she said. "You know what?" She turned around and hiked up her skirt, revealing her own tattoo…in a place that Kat would never be able to unsee. "I got one too!"

"Woah…" Dean said, unable to look away. "You are a fan." Sera pulled her skirt back down and scribbled a name and address on a piece of paper.

"His name's Chuck Shurley. And he's a genius, so don't piss him off," she said, handing the piece of paper to Sam. Kat asked a few more questions, very intent on writing about this guy if she could, and the three left to see this mysterious writer.

Sam, Dean, and Kat climbed out of the Impala at Chuck Shurley's house. It was kind of run down, definitely looked like a recluse lived there. They climbed the steps, looked at each other, and Dean rang the doorbell. The door opened to reveal a short man with auburn hair, wearing an undershirt and boxers underneath a striped bathrobe. This is almost too cliché, Kat thought as she looked him over.

"You Chuck Shurley?" Dean asked.

"The Chuck Shurley who wrote the Supernatural books?" Sam added.

"Maybe," Chuck answered, nervously. "Why?"

"I'm Dean, this is Sam. The Dean and Sam you've been writing about," Dean said, getting straight to the point…and it earned them a door slammed in their faces. Dean sighed and rang the bell again. Chuck answered again.

"Look, uh…I appreciate your enthusiasm. Really, I do," he said. "It's, uh, always nice to hear from the fans. But, for your own good, I strongly suggest you get a life." He tried to shut the door again, but Dean caught it.

"See, here's the thing," Dean said, the conversationalist tone in his voice only giving voice to how pissed off he was. "We have a life. You've been using it to write your books!" Dean have the door a shove, forcing Chuck to back up into the house as the three of them entered.

"Now, wait a minute," Chuck said. "Now, this isn't funny."

"Damn straight, it's not funny," Dean replied.

"Look, we just want to know how you're doing it," Sam said, trying to be the reasonable one.

I'd like to know where Sara is, Kat thought. In truth, her Archangel had been on her mind for a while. With the situation with the seals getting worse, Kat had taken to praying every night, trying to reach her ancient friend. She had even got as far as communing with some spirits. None of them could tell her where Sara was, or even where she could be. If this guy had an insight into Sam and Dean's lives, then maybe he knew where she was.

"I'm not doing anything," Chuck answered.

"Are you a hunter?" Dean asked, keeping the interrogation going. Poor Chuck looked like he was going to piss his pants.

"What? No, I'm a writer," he said.

"Then how do you know so much about demons? And Tulpas, and Changelings?" Dean pressed the questions, forcing Chuck onto his couch.

"Is this some kind of Misery thing? Ah, it is, isn't it? It's a Misery thing!" Chuck wailed.

"No, it's not a Misery thing," Dean scoffed. "Believe me, we are not fans!"

"Well, then, what do you want?!" Chuck exclaimed. Sam stepped in, trying to calm the situation.

"I'm Sam," he said. "And that's Dean. And that's Kat," he added, pointing to the girl standing behind Dean. Chuck looked at her, confused.

"Kat? Wait, the witch?" Chuck asked. Kat had been afraid of that. Because of how detailed the books were, she had wondered if she had been included in the story. Apparently, I have been, she thought. "You weren't even in the last book. I only just started writing about you in this one! How can you exist?"

"The same way that Sam and Dean can exist, it would seem," she said. "So, if I exist, that means that Sara exists, right?"

"Who?" Chuck seemed confused.

"Sarakiel…the Archangel that uses me as a vessel?" Kat held her breath as Chuck looked at her. Her heart started pounding as a light came into his eyes.

"I hadn't written anything about Sara either…" he said softly. A small smile came across his face. "She's one of my favorite characters."

"Where is she?" Kat asked, shoving past Sam.

"I had her trapped in Heaven," Chuck said quietly, backing away from Kat's advance. Her heart stopped. Her instincts had been right.

"Then how do we get her out?" Sam asked, gently grasping Kat's arm. Chuck just looked down.

"I…I hadn't gotten that far, yet," he admitted sheepishly. Kat felt a part of herself dying. Sara was trapped, and she had no way of helping her. Chuck then shook his head.

"Sam, Dean, and Kat are fictional characters!" he declared. "I made them up! They're not real!"

Dean lead the writer outside to the Impala, presumably to show Chuck the arsenal in the trunk of the car. Kat followed him out in a daze, with Sam keeping a gentle-but-firm grip on her upper left arm. They stood on the porch while Dean did exactly what they had presumed.

"Kat?" Sam asked quietly. "You okay?"

"She's trapped, Sam," Kat said. "She's trapped, and I can't help her."

"Hey," the hunter whispered. He turned her to face him, his brown eyes locking with her gray ones. "We will find a way to help her. We can ask Castiel. Maybe he knows. Okay?" Kat had doubts about Castiel, but she nodded, acknowledging that it was worth a try. Sam was about to say something more when Chuck interrupted him.

"Please," he was saying to Dean. "Please don't hurt me." Sam joined his brother with Kat close behind.

"How much do you know?" he asked the terrified writer. "You know about the angels, but what about Lilith breaking the seals?"

"Wait a minute," Chuck said. "How do you know about that?"

"The question is, how do you?" Dean fired back.

"Because I wrote it?" Chuck replied.

"You kept writing?" Sam asked, surprised.

"Yeah, even after the publisher went bankrupt," Chuck said. "But those books never came out." He paused for a minute, seemingly still trying to cling to the possibility of this being a dream. "Okay, wait a minute. This is some kind of joke, right? Did that…Did Phil put you up to this?" Dean sighed.

"Well, nice to meet you," he said, sounding angry and resigned at the same time. "I'm Dean Winchester, and this is my brother, Sam."

"And I'm Kat Elsin," Kat added in.

"The last names were never in the books. I never told anybody about that," Chuck said. "I never even wrote that down."

Chuck went into the kitchen, poured himself a large whisky, and drained it fast. When he turned around, he groaned.

"Oh, you're still there," he said.

"Yup," Dean confirmed.

"You're not a hallucination."

"Nope."

"Well, there's only one explanation," Chuck said. "Obviously, I'm a god." Kat and Dean both snorted.

"You're not a god," Sam replied.

"How else can you explain it?" Chuck challenged. "I write things and then they come to life. Yeah, no, I'm definitely a god. A cruel, cruel, capricious god." Kat watched him with a bemused look on her face. "The things I put you through…the physical beatings alone."

"Yeah, we're still in one piece," Dean said.

"I killed your father," Chuck said, his tone lamenting his words. "I burned your mother alive. And then you had to go through the whole horrific deal again with Jessica!"

"Chuck…" Sam said, trying to calm him down and not be reminded at the same time.

"All for what?! For the sake of literary symmetry. I'm even putting you through hell right now," he said, pointing at Kat. "Sarakiel is your friend, and I'm keeping her from you, especially when you could use her help right now." Kat flinched slightly, but didn't make eye contact with him. "I toyed with your lives, your emotions, for….entertainment."

"You didn't toy with us, Chuck, okay?" Dean interjected. "You didn't create us. Any of us."

"Did you really have to live through the bugs?" the writer asked.

"Yeah," Dean replied.

"What about the ghost ship?"

"Yes, that too."

"I am so sorry," Chuck said. Kat gripped the table she was leaning on in an effort to quell the urge to scream at this lunatic. "I mean, horror is one thing, but to be forced to live bad writing…if I would have known it was real, I would have done another pass."

"Chuck, you're not a god!" Dean exclaimed.

"We think you're probably just psychic," Sam said.

"No," Chuck insisted. "If I were psychic, you think I'd be writing? Writing is hard." Kat couldn't help but agree with him there.

"It seems that, somehow, you're just…focused on our lives," Sam continued.

"Yeah, like laser-focused," Dean added. "Are you working on anything right now?" Chuck's eyes suddenly went wide.

"Holy crap," he whispered.

"What?" Sam asked, the three getting alarmed. He walked over to his desk and picked up some loose pieces of paper.

"The, uh, latest book? It's, uh…it's kind of weird," he replied.

"Weird how?" Sam asked.

"It's very…Vonnegut," Chuck replied. Kat felt her stomach clench into a knot.

"Slaughterhouse-Five Vonnegut or Cat's Cradle Vonnegut?" Dean asked. Sam and Kat both looked at him, a mixture of surprise and shock on their faces.

"What?" Sam asked his brother.

"What?" Dean replied, defensively.

"It's, uh, Kilgore Trout Vonnegut," Chuck answered. "I wrote myself into it. I wrote myself…at my house…confronted by my characters."

The three were sitting at a laundromat later that night. Dean was reading Chuck's manuscript while Kat and Sam did laundry. Kat had taken the liberty of doing some basic proofing of Chuck's house, but something about him still worried her. She had read the manuscript that Dean was reading now, and while he was a crap writer, what was happening to them could be a masterpiece in the hands of a good one.

"I'm sitting in a laundromat, reading about myself sitting in a laundromat reading about myself," Dean muttered. "My head hurts."

"There's got to be something this guy's not telling us," Kat said as she folded some shirts. Sam tossed his darks into the machine as Dean read aloud.

"Sam tossed his gigantic darks into the machine. He was starting to have doubts about Chuck, about whether he was telling the whole truth."

"Stop it," Sam said.

"Stop it, Sam said," Dean continued. "Guess what you do next." Sam just scowled at him and turned away. "Sam turned his back on Dean, his face brooding and pensive. I mean, I don't know how he's doing it, but this guy is doing it. I can't see your face, but those are definitely your brooding and pensive shoulders." Sam sighed. Kat couldn't help but agree. This was getting annoying. Dean read another line, and frowned. "You just thought I was a dick." Sam turned around, impressed.

"The guy's good," he said.

"Guys, stop it. You're making my head hurt," Kat said, moving her own load of darks from the washer to the dryer.

"That's in there, too," Dean said. A glowering look from Kat made him put the manuscript down. "Kat, you're a writer. What do you think about all of this?"

"Don't you know what I'm going to say?" Kat asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I hadn't read that far," Dean said, walking over to help her.

"He's a shit writer, that's for sure," Kat said, handing Dean a pile of socks to pair. "I can't count how many times he screwed up the flow of a sentence. But, I think Sam's right."

"Right about what?" Sam asked, turning around with his own load of socks in his hands.

"That he isn't telling us the whole truth," Kat answered. "He knows more than he's letting on, but getting it out of him is going to be difficult."

"Isn't there anything you can do to help him do that?" Dean asked.

"Doing that would be manipulating his free will, Dean," Kat explained. "The witches you hunt may do that, but Wiccans have rules against that." Dean nodded his understanding. Sam set his socks down and looked at their magickal companion.

"Such as?" he asked.

"The Wiccan Rede says 'An it harm none, do what thou wilt'," Kat said. "That means that as long as I'm not harming anyone, I can do what I want to do. Harming someone includes taking away their free will."

"But don't Wiccans do binding spells?" Dean asked.

"Yes, but those are only to be used in self-defense," Kat replied. "For example, say that I didn't want anyone to know that I was Wiccan. You found out, and wanted to tell everyone, even though I had asked you not to. I'd be afraid of the repercussions that could come of that, which means you would be doing harm to me. I could perform a binding spell on you to prevent you from harming me. That wouldn't bring any of the kickbacks that a similar spell would."

"What would the binding spell do, exactly?" Sam asked.

"It would effectively prevent you from saying or doing anything to intentionally cause me harm," Kat said. "You would be free to do anything else, but you would be incapable of revealing my secret, or anything similar." The Winchesters mused on that for a moment, and began to talk about their plan for dealing with Chuck.

When they returned to the motel room, Kat sat outside for a while to get some air. She had just found out that her friend, a powerful Archangel, was trapped by her own kind. She closed her eyes and prayed, hoping to get her attention, and perhaps free her. Nothing happened. She scoffed out loud. "A witch praying… Like they'd listen," she said.

"You're trying, at least," said a voice from behind her. She turned to see Dean standing there.

"You heard that?"

"Enough. Kat, we're going to help her," Dean said.

"How, Dean? They won't listen to me! All they see is a blasphemous witch who they think doesn't believe in their God! Just because I don't worship Him doesn't mean I can't acknowledge that He might exist!" Kat was getting hysterical. She was tired of feeling helpless, tired of feeling weak. "No Angel in heaven listened to my prayers. She was the first one to listen. She gave me an honor that no other Angel would dare think of. She chose me to help her do some good in this world, because Goddess knows we need it. She's my best friend, and I can't do a goddamn thing to help her!" Dean abruptly pulled her to him, locking his strong arms around her in a tight hug.

"It sucks," he said simply. "But there has to be a way to help her. Besides, I'm sure you're not the only one who wants to. Me and Sam will do the best we can to help. We're gonna need her to beat Lilith, anyway. It's gonna be alright." Kat didn't have the strength to fight him off. Instead, she closed her eyes and just breathed in his scent. He smelled like gunpowder and leather, but there was a natural scent that was all his own. She backed up enough to lift her head and gaze into his green eyes. A single tear fell from her stormy gray eyes. Dean wiped it away gently with the pad of his thumb, letting his hand gently cup her cheek. Slowly, but surely, their faces inched closer, until their lips met in a gentle kiss. Kat's hands slowly moved up Dean's chest as the kiss deepened. His hand moved from her cheek to the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her brown hair. Kat's hands continued moving upward, arms crossing behind Dean's neck. She pulled him deeper in to the kiss and gently slid her tongue along his bottom lip. He responded with his own tongue. They dueled for dominance, Kat putting up just as much of a fight as Dean. Abruptly, he turned and pushed her back up against the wall of the motel. The move surprised her, and allowed him to take control. In a fit of passion, Dean lifted Kat up, pulling away from her lips and lavishing her neck with his own lips. Kat let out a breathy moan, wrapping her legs around Dean's waist.

Just as Kat was working Dean's jacket off his shoulders, they heard the door open. Simultaneously, Kat unwrapped her legs from around Dean's waist, and Dean set her down. Sam looked the opposite direction first, looking for the two of them. When he turned his head in their direction, they were both leaning against the wall, looking at the night sky.

"Hey, Sam," Kat said, her voice still a little raw from crying. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to come out and check on you," he replied, looking suspiciously at his brother. Dean just shrugged. "It's getting late. We should probably get some rest," he continued.

"Yeah, you're right," Dean said a little too quickly. They followed Sam back inside the room. Dean jumped in the shower while Kat checked her emails. She finished up one job for a client, accepted another from the same client, and pointed a second client in the direction of the translator he was looking for. She then put together a rough draft for the article on Sera's publishing firm and Chuck's novels. Like Chuck, she had a pen name, so mentioning the books wasn't risking anything for her, or Sam and Dean. By the time she was done, Dean had fallen asleep, and Sam was on his way there.

Something was nagging her in the back of her mind. Something's not right, she thought as she looked at the boys. The worst was yet to come, she was certain.

The three were called back to Chuck's house the next morning. The poor guy seemed that he was in a panic, which made them worry. They watched as he paced the room, trying to find his voice. In his hands were more pages of text.

"So…you wrote another chapter?" Sam asked, attempting to get the conversation started.

"This was all so much easier before you were real," Chuck moaned.

"We can take it," Dean said. "Just spit it out."

"You especially are not gonna like this," Chuck countered.

"I didn't like hell," Dean pointed out.

"It's Lilith," Chuck said. "She's coming for Sam." Kat felt her stomach drop.

"Coming to kill him?" Dean asked.

"When?" Sam added.

"Tonight."

"She's just gonna show up? Here?" Dean asked, sounded doubtful. Chuck sat and put his glasses on, consulting his transcript

"Uh, let's see…" he muttered as he flipped through some pages. "Lilith patted the bed seductively. Unable to deny his desire, Sam succumbed, and they sank into the throes of fiery demonic passion." Kat felt some bile rise in her throat. Just the thought of it made her retch. Sam, on the other hand, started laughing.

"You're kidding me, right?" he chuckled.

"You think this is funny?" Dean said, clearly as upset as Kat.

"You don't?" Sam replied, looking between his brother and his friend. "I mean, come on. 'Fiery demonic passion'?"

"It's just a first draft," Chuck said, somewhat offended.

"Wait wait wait," Dean said. "Lilith is a little girl!" Kat wasn't so sure. Demons could appear as anyone or anything.

"No," Chuck said, confirming Kat's suspicions. "This time she's a comely dental hygienist from Bloomington, Indiana."

"Great," Dean scoffed. "Perfect. So, what happens after the….fiery demonic whatever?"

"I don't know. It hasn't come to me yet," Chuck replied.

"Dean, look, there's nothing to worry about," Sam said, trying to calm his brother. "Lilith and me? In bed?" Kat looked at him. She was certain that he was just a little worried about it, but he was trying to laugh it off. Dean glared at his brother as he continued to address Chuck.

"How does this whole psychic thing of yours work?" he asked.

"You mean my process?" Chuck replied.

"Yes, your 'process'," Dean said.

"Well, it usually starts with a headache," Chuck explained. "A really bad headache. Aspirin is useless, so…I drink." Kat glared at him, but he continued. "Until I fall asleep. The first time it happened, I thought it was just a crazy dream."

"The first time you dreamt about us?" Dean said.

"It flowed," Chuck said. "It just, it kept flowing. It still does. I-I can't stop it, really."

"You can't seriously believe…" Sam began, but Dean cut him off.

"Humor me." Dean stood up as Kat got up and took the manuscript from Chuck.

"Look, why don't we take a look at these and see what's what," she said.

"You…" Dean began.

"Knew she was gonna ask for it, yeah," Chuck confirmed. Kat stared at the manuscript in her hands, still in shock at this guy. The three hunters piled back in to the Impala and took off. Kat was going through John Winchester's journal, trying to find something on psychics. Sam was reading through the manuscript as Dean drove.

"Dean, come on," Sam said, trying to bring Dean and Kat in with his skepticism. "The minivan accident wasn't that bad, but Dean was still seeing stars. He scratched absently at the pink flower Band-Aids on his face." Kat looked up when she heard 'pink-flower band-aids'. The image that that phrase had put in her mind was both unlikely and comical. A smile crept unbidden across her face.

"So?" Dean retorted.

"So, I've seen you gushing blood. You'd use duct tape and bar rags before you'd put on a pink flower Band-aid," Sam pointed out. Kat couldn't help but agree. However, given Chuck's accuracy so far, she wasn't prepared to discredit him.

"What's your point?" Dean said, clearly not ready to discredit him either.

"My point is this – all of this – is totally implausible. It's nuts!" Sam exclaimed.

"He's been right about everything so far, Sam," Kat said from the backseat. "You think he's just gonna ground out at first now?" Sam looked back at her, scoffed, and kept reading.

"Dean slid behind the wheel of his beloved Impala and drove off, the plastic tarp on the rear window flapping like the wings of a crow."

"A tarp?" Dean said, incredulous.

"Yeah," Sam confirmed. "On the rear window. And you drive it like that."

"Well, he might be wrong about the details, but that doesn't mean he's wrong about the end result." Dean wasn't giving up. Kat wished that Sam would, but he was just as stubborn as his older brother.

"So, we're just gonna run?" Sam challenged.

"Dude, we're a long way from ready for a face to face death match with Lilith," Dean pointed out. Kat looked up from her book as she felt the car slow down. Her heart sank as she saw a roadblock about 20 feet ahead of them. A deputy came over to the car and leaned down to talk to Dean.

"What seems to be the problem?" Dean asked.

"Bridge is out ahead," the deputy replied.

"We're just trying to get out of town," Dean said.

"Yeah, afraid not," the deputy said.

"Is there a detour?"

"Nope."

"There's not a side road that takes us to the highway?"

"To get to the highway, you have to cross that river. To cross the river, you have to take that bridge." Dean paused for a moment.

"How deep's the river?"

"Sorry," the deputy shrugged. "Afraid you boys and your lady friend are gonna have to spend the night in town."


	8. It's a Misery Thing, isn't it? Part 2

I do not own Supernatural. I own Kat and Sarakiel. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 18: The Monster at the End of this Book.

I needed to do this in two parts because it was 21 pages/over 11,000 words long, with the margins at their lowest settings. Anywho, enjoy!

"Sam, I really think you should start taking this seriously," Kat said as Sam looked over a menu. Dean was reading the manuscript.

"Kat, there's things in there that just aren't me, and that aren't Dean," Sam replied.

"What about me?"

"Aside from you starting to fall in love with someone, there's not much. It's like you just vanish…" Dean said, his words fading as he realized what he read. Kat felt the color drain from her face.

"Fall in love?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Dean replied. "It says that you sit outside, wrestling with the feelings you have. There's a flash of white light, and you're gone."

"Just gone?" Kat asked, her face still pale.

"Yeah." Sam and Dean both looked at her. Sam reached across the table and held her hand while Dean put his arm around her.

"Listen," Dean continued. "This could be a good thing. I mean, if this is what puts us on the path to Lilith, then all we got to do is get off the path."

"How do you mean?" Sam asked.

"It's a blueprint of what not to do," Dean explained. "I mean, if the pages say that we go left – "

"Then we go right," Sam finished. Kat looked at both of them, still pale, and still thinking about what Dean had said about her falling in love. She had become painfully aware that Dean had not removed his arm from around her, but Sam had let go of her hand. Their makeout session outside of the motel room was still fresh in her mind. She knew how Sara felt about Castiel, but she wasn't Sara, and Cas would never go for her. Dean, however…she felt safe around him. She felt comfortable, and she had noticed that she watched him whenever they were in the car. She noticed the unique color of his hair, and how it always stood up in a funny way on one side. Kat felt him give her a reassuring squeeze before letting go, and she was surprised to feel a slight twinge of disappointment when he did.

"Exactly. We get off-book," Dean continued. "We never make ti to the end. It's opposite day. IT says that we, uh, get into a fight. So, no fighting. No research for you," he added, giving Sam a pointed look.

"No bacon cheeseburger for you," Sam countered. A crestfallen look crossed Dean's face for a split second.

"Yeah, no problem," he said. Kat looked at him, unsure. "I'll just order something else."

"That also means no magick from you, either," Sam added, looking at Kat. Kat just nodded.

"Unlike Dean and bacon, I can live without magick for a while," Kat said. Just then, a waitress walked up to their table.

"Hi," Dean said. "Uh, what's good?"

"Well, if you like burgers, Oprah's girlfriend said we have the best bacon cheeseburgers in the country," she replied. Sam laughed. Kat looked at Dean with a grimace on her face.

"Really?" Dean said, glaring at his younger brother.

"I'll just have the cobb salad, please," Sam said, handing the girl the menu.

"I'll have the…veggie tofu burger," Dean said, his voice straining slightly. "Thanks."

"Caesar salad for me, please," Kat said. The waitress took their menus and walked off.

"This whole thing's ridiculous," Sam said when she left.

"Lilith is ridiculous?" Dean asked, incredulous.

"The idea of me hooking up with her is," Sam replied.

"Right. 'Cause something like that can never happen," Dean spat. Kat placed a hand on his knee, trying to calm him down. Sam looked as though he was going to say something, and then controlled himself.

"Dean, for the first time, we have a warning that Lilith is close," Sam pointed out, changing the subject.

"So?"

"So…we've got the jump on her. If we know when she's coming, we know where she's…this is an opportunity." Kat realized with a jolt what Sam was suggesting. She felt Dean tense up under her hand.

"Sam, are you suggesting that we…?" Kat asked. Sam looked at her and gave a half shrug, half nod. Dean looked as though he was going to get angry, but stopped.

"It frustrates me when you say such reckless things," he said.

"Well, it frustrates me when you'd rather hide than fight," Sam replied. Kat was about to open her mouth to scold them both, when the waitress returned with food.

"Cobb salad for you," she said, putting a plate down in front of Sam. "Caesar salad for you, and the tofu veggie burger for you."

"Thank you," Dean said, nodding to her. As she walked away, Dean leaned towards his brother. "It's not hiding. It's being smart. It's picking your battles. This is a battle that we are not ready to fight."

"I have to agree here, Sam," Kat said. "We're not ready to take Lilith on. She's too strong even for all three of us combined."

"Thank you," Dean said, and took a bite of his burger. His eyes widened with surprise. "Oh my god, this is delicious! Tofu is amazing!" As he was about to take another bite, the waitress returned, looking flustered.

"I am so sorry, I gave you the bacon cheeseburger by mistake," she said, and took the plate away. Sam scowled at his brother. Kat focused on her food, her mind returning to what the manuscript had said.

Dean pulled in to the parking lot of the Toreador motel, the sleaziest place Kat had ever seen. Judging by the look on Sam's face, he agreed with her.

"Dude, this place charges by the hour," he said to Dean.

"Yeah, well, the book says Lilith finds you at the Red Motel," Dean pointed out. "Hence the, uh, hooker inn. It's opposite day, remember?" Kat sighed.

"Great…two guys checking in with a girl at a motel that charges by the hour. This'll look great," she said. Sam headed for the main office to book them a room, while Dean stayed outside with Kat. The few people that walked by gave them awkward stares. One creepy older guy even asked her how much. After scaring the living daylights out of him by threatening to relieve him of certain body parts, Dean kept a protective arm around her until Sam got back. As she stood there, she felt a fluttering in her chest. Every time someone walked by, she instinctively moved closer to him.

When they arrived in the room, Dean put his bag down on the bed and pulled out some hex bags and placed them at strategic places around the room. Kat was studying the manuscript, trying to see what was coming next.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked Dean.

"Couple of hex bags ought to Lilith-proof the room," Dean replied. Kat could feel herself wanting to do her own proofing, but that was something that she knew that she would do.

"So, what? I'm supposed to hole up here all night?" Sam asked, sounding like a pissed off teenager.

"That's exactly what you're gonna do, okay?" Dean said, sounding every bit like his older brother. "And no research. I don't care what you do – use the Magic Fingers, or watch Casa Erotica on Pay-per-view." Dean then rounded on Kat. "No wards, no spells, no nothing, you hear me?"

"Yes, Dean," Kat said. He nodded, and pulled Sam's laptop out of his backpack.

"Oh dude, come on," Sam said.

"Just call it a little insurance," the elder Winchester replied. He also pulled Kat's laptop out of her bag. Kat didn't say a word. She was too busy trying to find what made her go outside in the first place.

"What are you gonna do?" Sam asked his brother.

"Well, the pages say that I spend all day riding around in the Impala. So, I'm gonna go park her. Behave yourselves, would you?" Dean said, looking between the two of them. "No homework. Watch some porn." He walked out with a grin on his face. Sam fumed on the bed.

The two sat in complete silence for a while. Sam flipped through channels while Kat poured over the manuscript. There was nothing regarding how she disappeared. She didn't even notice that Sam had made a phone call until there was a knock on the door. As Sam got up to answer it, Kat placed a hand on the gun she now carried on a hip holster. Spending enough time with those boys taught her to keep herself armed as often as possible. The door opened to reveal a nervous looking Chuck.

"You wanted to see me?" the writer asked.

"Yeah," Sam replied, and stepped back and opened the door wider, silently inviting him in.

"Hello, Kat," Chuck said, nodding.

"Hi," Kat absently replied, having returned her gaze to the manuscript.

"Thanks for coming," Sam said as he closed the door.

"Ah, sure" Chuck replied.

"Um…" Sam began, trying to find the words. "I was just wondering how much you know. About me." Kat stopped reading and listened. Sam looked like he was ready to shit himself, and all Kat could think about was that Sam was hiding something.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen visions of me when I'm not with Dean?" Sam asked, getting more specific.

"Oh…"Chuck said. "You want to know about the demon blood." Kat jumped up, fuming.

"Sam?!" she shouted. "You promised!" Sam looked at her, puppy dog eyes on full blast. Kat had become immune to them, like a mother becoming immune to her child's tantrums.

"You didn't tell Dean," Sam said to Chuck, tearing his gaze away from Kat, whose eyes were blazing.

"I didn't even write it into the books. I was afraid it would make you look unsympathetic," Chuck replied, shifting slightly away from the furious witch.

"Unsympathetic?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, come on, Sam," Chuck said. "I mean, sucking blood? You got to know that's wrong."

"He damn well does," Kat spat.

"It scares the hell out of me," Sam said, looking down. "I mean, I feel it inside of me…I….I wish to God it would stop." Kat was about to open her mouth and tear Sam a new one, when a fact smacked her in the face. Sam was addicted. She had done enough reading of medical journals to know that addictions weren't just quit. Instead, she sat down next to Sam, and put a hand on his arm.

"But you keep going back," Chuck pointed out.

"What choice have I got? If it helps me kill Lilith and stop the apocalypse…" Sam began.

"I thought that was Dean's job," Chuck interjected. "That's what the angels say, right?"

"You wrote about these boys. You know full well Sam wouldn't allow Dean to do this alone," Kat said.

"Besides, Dean's not…he's not Dean lately," Sam said. "Ever since he got out of hell. He needs help."

"So you got to carry the weight?" Chuck asked, still trying to talk him down.

"Well, he's looked out for me my whole life. I can't return the favor?" Sam replied.

"Yeah, sure you can," Chuck replied. "I mean, if that's what this is."

"What else could it be?"

"I don't know." Chuck chose his words carefully. "Maybe the demon blood makes you feel stronger? More in control?" Kat tightened her grip on his arm.

"No," Sam said firmly. "That's not true." Chuck just sighed.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I know it's a terrible burden – feeling that it all rests on your shoulders," he said.

"Does it?" Sam asked. "All rest on my shoulders?"

"That seems to be where the story is headed," Chuck admitted sadly.

"Am I strong enough to stop Lilith tonight?" Sam pressed Chuck.

"Sam," Kat pleaded with him. "Stop."

"Am I?" Sam asked again, ignoring her.

"I don't know," Chuck replied. "I haven't seen that far ahead."

Chuck left soon after, heading back to his house. Sam was frustrated beyond belief. Kat watched him pace around the room, trying to make sense of everything.

"Sam, calm down," Kat said.

"Calm down?!" Sam snapped, rounding on her. "How the hell am I supposed to calm down, Kat? What, Lilith is coming to get me and Dean wants me to hide, so I should just curl up in the corner and cry while the brave witch and my older brother protect me?" Kat felt tears forming in her eyes, but she kept her face as even as she could. Sam stopped himself when he realized what he had said. "Kat, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that." He sat down on the bed and pulled her in to a hug. "I'm scared," he admitted softly. "I'm scared that I will give in to her. I'm scared that I won't be able to help myself." Kat hugged him back, pulling his massive form to her.

"I'm scared for you," she said. "I'm scared of what you're doing in the name of defeating this bitch. I'm scared that you're going to become someone or something that Dean and I don't recognize." She pulled away slightly, keeping her hands on his shoulders and locking her gray eyes with his chocolate brown ones. "Let us help you, Sam. You don't have to do this alone, and Dean doesn't have to either. You have each other…and you have me." Sam smiled slightly.

"You're right," he said. Kat smiled and brushed some hair away from his handsome face. They sat and looked at each other for a few minutes. Then, without warning, Sam's lips crashed in to Kat's. The force of the kiss was enough to push Kat flat on her back on the bed. A cry of surprise was muffled only by Sam, who moaned slightly when he felt himself on top of her. Kat found herself giving in to the base instincts. His huge form over top of her, the warm weight, the tender but strong touch, and the scent that smelled just like Dean…

DEAN! Kat gasped and pulled away from the kiss, surprise and fear written all over her face. Both were breathing heavily. Sam took one look at her, and realized what he'd done.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Kat," Sam stuttered, climbing off of her. Kat sat up slowly, not taking her eyes off of dresser that sat across from the bed. She was trying to process what had happened. "Kat, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"No, it's okay," Kat said softly. "I just…I need some air." Without another word, she grabbed a jacket and bolted from the room. AS soon as the door shut, Sam punched the bed. What the hell had he been thinking? He had heard her and Dean outside last night. He knew that she was falling for his brother. As he continued his pacing, his eyes fell on the manuscript. One sentence made his heart jump to his throat.

With a flash of blinding white light, Kat was gone.

"Kat! KAT!" Sam ran for the door. No sooner had he opened it, then there was a flash of white light and a scream that sounded like Kat. The light faded, and she was gone. Sam looked around, helpless. They were walking right through the plot. Right into Lilith's arms.

Kat looked around, trying to get her bearings. She was in a white room. Art covered the walls. There were several plush chairs and a few side tables scattered along the walls. An eerie feeling pushed at the back of her mind, like she wasn't supposed to be here. Behind her, a door opened, and two figures walked through. One was an older balding man dressed in a dark suit with a pleasant-yet-fake smile on his face. The other was…

"Castiel!" Kat sighed with relief. She started moving toward him, but the other man stepped in front of him, that shit-eating grin still plastered on his face. Castiel didn't make a move.

"Okay, two questions: who are you, and why shouldn't I gank your ass right here and now?" Kat said. Castiel's eyes flashed a moment, making Kat realize just how much she sounded like Dean.

"You've spent far too much time with the Winchesters, my dear," the other man said. "My name is Zachariah. I am Castiel's superior."

"Which means Sarakiel is yours," Kat said. "How much trouble are you going to be in if she finds out that you've kidnapped me?"

"She won't find out," Zachariah replied. "She doesn't need to know anything. I answer to Michael now."

"What have you feather-brained assholes done to her?" Kat growled.

"Kept her safe, per Michael's orders," was the reply. "See, we've made a discovery. Michael thought he needed to keep Sarakiel safe in order for things to progress as planned. However, we've realized that she wasn't the problem. You are." He moved toward her, forcing her to move back toward the wall. "Your entanglement with Dean Winchester is preventing him and his brother from fulfilling their purpose in this life. They are to restore order to the world, and create Paradise once again."

"So, what, you're going to kill me?" Kat said, feeling her back hit the wall.

"No, I never get my hands dirty," Zachariah laughed. "Castiel, kill her." Kat's eyes darted to the blue-eyed angel, who drew his blade and started walking toward her.

"Castiel, please," Kat pleaded. She knew that Castiel would kill her without remorse. He was just an angel. They followed orders and that was it. "What would Sara think?"

"Sarakiel," Zachariah corrected. "You do not have the right to even speak her name, much less shorten it." Kat ignored her, keeping her eyes locked on Castiel.

"She trusts you with her life and with mine. You and I both know that she won't stay locked up forever. When she breaks out, and finds out that you killed me, how do you think she'll feel?" Kat continued as Castiel got closer. She felt the blade press up against her throat, forcing her on to her tip toes. Kat closed her eyes. "Cas," she whispered. She braced herself for the imminent end…and it didn't come. Slowly, she opened her eyes, looking in to Castiel's shocking blue ones. He was hesitating. There was a strange light shining in his eyes, like he was seeing something that wasn't there. Slowly, he pulled his blade away from Kat's throat and turned to Zachariah.

"She has a point, Zachariah," he said. "Just because Sarakiel doesn't know now, doesn't mean that she won't find out later. It will be no secret when Katherine dies. An Archangel's vessel is important, and everyone knows who he or she is. There are many who are loyal to Sarakiel only. You may order me not to say anything, but what will happen if someone else does? What will she do to you when she finds out who is responsible?" Kat was amazed. Castiel was playing dirty. He was basically threatening his superior…with his superior's power.

"She would come after you first," Zachariah pointed out, trying to salvage what dignity he could.

"But Sarakiel would ask who ordered him to kill me," Kat said. "Castiel would have no choice but to answer her truthfully, right? She'll know it was you, and that it was Michael. She probably already wants to kill him, but you'd move up on her list." Kat watched as Zachariah's face blanched. She was right, and he knew it. Sarakiel could destroy him easily. He opened his mouth to reply when Castiel suddenly whipped around, looking behind him. Without another word, he vanished. Zachariah and Kat both looked at the place where he had been standing for a moment. Then, Zachariah laughed.

"I suppose duty calls," he said. Then, he grabbed Kat's arm, causing the witch to start. She ripped her arm out of his grasp and stuck out her hand.

"MANETE!" she shouted. Zachariah suddenly froze. He looked down at his legs, realizing he was unable to move them.

"What have you done to me?" he shouted.

"A spell that I didn't think would work on an Angel," Kat replied, mildly but pleasantly surprised herself. "I'm glad that it did. Anyway, later featherhead." She bolted out the door while Zachariah screamed at her.

The hallways were white and lined with doors. They seemed to be endless. Well, this is heaven, Kat reminded herself. On a hope, she cast her senses out to try and find someone that she knew. Unsuccessful, she just started running down hallways, turning at random intervals. A sharp turn ran her into another Angel…literally. The two cried out in surprise and hit the floor. Kat sat up and saw an Angel that she recognized: This was Vasa, Sarakiel's lieutenant. Vasa sat up and saw the human before her, and her eyes grew wide.

"You're…" she got out.

"Sarakiel's vessel, yes," Kat finished, getting up and offering a hand to the woman. Vasa took it and stood up. "I'm also trying to stay away from Zachariah or any of his cronies. I either need to find Sarakiel, or I need a way out of here. Can you help me?"

"No one knows where Sarakiel is," Vasa replied sadly. "She's been hidden from all but a few who are loyal to Michael or Raphael." Kat sighed, looking down.

"Dammit," she whispered.

"But," Vasa continued. "I managed to find out." Kat's head snapped back up, an astonished look on her face.

"How?"

"Zachariah sent someone to her room, and I had one of my Angels follow. He reported back to me, and I went to investigate. It's warded against any Angel except for those chosen few," Vasa said. She started walking at a brisk pace, taking Kat down a series of seemingly-abandoned hallways. Only a few doors lined the walls.

"Wow…not a lot of people dying recently?" she said.

"Thanks to you and the Winchesters, no," Vasa replied. "The three of you have saved many lives. I only wish my brothers and sisters could do the same." They rounded a corner and came to a door that was practically screaming with magic. Kat could see the warding symbols all over the door. Vasa wasn't lying. This door was warded against anything.

"Well, almost anything," Kat whispered with a grin.

"What?"

"They didn't expect me," Kat pointed out. "This is warded against angels and regular humans. I'm not a regular human, am I? They didn't think I would make it. Well then, let's just give this a try, huh?" Kat spread her feet to shoulder width, one foot slightly behind the other. She closed her eyes, mentally gathering every ounce of power she could without completely wiping her out. Vasa watched the young witch, amazed at the amount of power she was amassing. Suddenly, Kat's eyes snapped open, and she pushed both hands at the door with as much force as she could.

"RUMPATUR!"

The door shattered. Vasa cried out as alarms started going off in her head. Kat moved to help her, but she pushed her away.

"Go!" she said. "I'll be all right. Get Sarakiel out of there!" Kat nodded.

"Thank you," she said, and ran in to the room. Sarakiel was sitting on a bed right in front of her, seemingly oblivious to what was happening. "Sara!" Kat cried, running to her friend. It was weird, seeing her in person, but right now, she was just happy to see her. Sarakiel looked up at the sound of her name, and broke into a tearful smile when she saw her vessel.

"Kat!" she cried, embracing the witch. "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you, of course," Kat replied.

"But, how did you get here?"

"Some jackass named Zachariah tried to have me killed," Kat answered. "Well, he tried to have Castiel kill me, but your little lover boy held back."

"Castiel disobeyed a direct order?" Sarakiel said, wondering aloud.

"Yep. Anyway, we need to get you out of here." Kat made to drag her to the door, but she found her way blocked by two angels. "Shit," she whispered, pausing slightly.

"Castiel!" Sarakiel shouted. A flutter of wings announced the arrival of the angel. Sara hugged Kat one last time, and then shoved her into Castiel's arms.

"Sara, what are you doing?" Kat shouted as Castiel held her fast.

"Saving you. Don't worry about me. I'll get out of here, I promise," Sara replied. "Michael can't hold me forever." She then locked eyes with the blue-eyed angel.

"Castiel, get Kat out of here," she ordered.

"Yes, Archangel," Castiel replied. Before Kat could say another word, she found herself outside of the town where she had been with the Winchesters. With a snarl, she ripped herself free of Castiel's arms.

"What the hell, Castiel?!" she screamed. "We could have set her free! We could have had her back!"

"Orders are orders, Katherine," Castiel replied.

"Bullshit!" Kat growled. "You disobeyed an order to kill me! You couldn't disobey her just this once?"

"Orders from an Archangel are different," Castiel shot back, blue eyes flashing with anger. "Zachariah is a Seraph. Not as powerful as an Archangel, but stronger than a normal Angel like me. Sarakiel's power is second only to Gods power. I cannot refuse her." Kat studied his face as he spoke. Behind the fire, there was a small, sad light. He wanted to help Sarakiel as much as Kat did, but unlike Kat, he had been created to be obedient. Looking closer, Kat thought that she saw the slight shimmer of a tear.

"You're right, Castiel," she said. "I'm sorry. You can't help it." There was a moment of silence as the two looked around awkwardly. That was then broken by a single word.

"Cas." Kat looked at the angel, confused. He had a resolute but gentle look on his face as he met Kat's gaze.

"What?"

"I would prefer if you used the name Dean and Sam use," Castiel said. "Sarakiel used it before they did, and I have grown accustomed to it." Kat's mouth formed a crooked grin. With a small chuckle, she extended her right hand to Cas.

"Nice to meet you, Cas. I'm Kat," she said.

"I already know your…"

"Use my nickname too, Cas. I'm telling you to call me Kat," the witch said with a laugh. Note to self: Angels don't understand subtlety, she thought. Cas looked down at her extended hand, and slowly took it, giving it a gentle shake. Just then, Cas looked off in the distance.

"We have to go," he said, moving his grip to Kat's arm.

"What?"

"Dean is praying." In a flash, the two arrived outside of the motel. "Prayer is a sign of faith," Cas said to the hunter. "This is a good thing, Dean." Dean turned to the Angel, and his face lit up when he saw Kat.

"Kat!" Dean said, moving toward her. Cas released Kat as she moved toward Dean, arms outstretched. Dean pulled her in to his arms, giving her a strong embrace. "Sam told me what happened. Are you alright?" He pulled back slightly and gave her a once over.

"I'm okay," Kat replied. "Dean, Chuck was right about Sara. She's trapped, and it's all Michael's fault. He had a little douche nozzle named Zachariah kidnap me, and the jackass tried to get Cas to kill me."

"You tried to kill her?" Dean asked furiously, rounding on Cas. Kat moved in front of him, putting herself between Cas and Dean.

"Cas is the reason I'm alive," Kat continued. "He was just following orders at first, and he disobeyed to save me." Dean searched Kat's face, and then turned his attention back to Cas, pulling Kat close to him.

"Does my praying mean you'll help me?" Dean asked the angel.

"I'm not sure what I can do," Cas admitted.

"Drag Sam out of here, now," Dean ordered. "Before Lilith shows up."

"Wait, what?" Kat asked.

"Sam burned the hex bags. He wants to take Lilith on," Dean explained.

"I told him he wasn't strong enough!" Kat cried.

"At any rate, it's a prophecy," Cas interjected. "I can't interfere." Dean removed his arms from around Kat and faced Cas head on.

"You have tested me and thrown me every which way," he spat. "And I have never asked for anything. Not a damn thing. But now I'm asking. I need your help. Please," Dean finished, begging.

"What you're asking," Cas replied, clearly showing his displeasure at what he was saying. "It's…not within my power to do."

"Why?" Dean demanded. "'Cause it's 'Divine prophecy'?"

"Yes."

"So, what…We're just supposed to sit around and, and wait for it to happen?" Kat moved forward, placing a hand on Dean's shoulder and trying to calm him down.

"I'm sorry," Cas said, somewhat pathetically. That just pissed Dean off even more.

"Screw you. You and your mission, your God," Dean growled. "If you don't help me now, then when the time comes and you need me…don't bother knocking." Dean brushed past Cas and started escorting Kat inside.

"Dean," Cas called. "Dean!" The second time, Dean stopped.

"What?!" Dean said as he turned to face Cas.

"You must understand why I can't intercede," Cas began, moving toward Dean and Kat. "Prophets are very special. They're protected."

"I get that," Dean scoffed.

"If anything threatens a prophet, anything at all," Cas continued. "An archangel will appear to destroy that threat. Archangels are fierce. They're absolute. They're heaven's most terrifying weapon." Dean paused, looking between Cas and Kat. Kat followed his thinking, realizing that they had a way to beat Lilith before she took down Sam.

"He's right, Dean," Kat said. "I've seen some of the things Sara did. She's powerful beyond belief. There's no reason her brothers wouldn't be as powerful."

"And these archangels, they're tied to prophets?" Dean asked.

"Yes."

"So, if a prophet was in the same room as a demon – "

"Then the most fearsome wrath of heaven would rain down upon that demon," Cas finished. "Just so you understand…why I can't help." He looked around, as if checking to see if someone was listening. He looked back at the two to make sure they understood.

"Thanks, Cas," Dean said.

"Good luck," Cas said, and went to leave.

"Cas!" Kat called. The angel stopped and looked at the witch.

"Thank you…for everything." Cas merely nodded and disappeared. Dean and Kat looked at the place where he stood for a split second, and then they bolted for Baby.

The two barged in to Chuck's house, surprising the writer for the first time.

"What are you doing here?" Chuck said, struggling to get up from the couch he was sprawled on. "I didn't write this."

"Come on," Dean said, pulling him up. "We need you to come with us."

"What? Where?"

"To the motel where Sam is," Kat said, grabbing Chuck's other arm.

"That's where Lilith is!"

"Yeah, exactly," Dean confirmed. "I need you to stop her."

"Are you insane?" Chuck shouted, pulling away from the two of them. "Lilith? I know what she's capable of, Dean. I wrote her!" Dean sighed.

"All right, listen to me," he said. "You have an archangel tethered to you, okay? All you got to do is show up and Boom! Lilith gets smoked."

"But…I-I haven't seen that yet," Chuck stammered. "The story…"

"Chuck, you're the only shot we've got left," Dean pleaded with him.

"But…I'm just a writer." Kat took his arm again, but gently.

"This isn't a story, anymore," she said. "This is real, and you're in it. We need you to get off of your ass and fight, Chuck."

"No friggin' way," Chuck said, pulling away from her again. Dean was done.

"Okay, well then…how about this: I have a gun in my pocket, and if you don't come with me, I'll blow your brains out."

"I thought you said I was protected by an Archangel?" Chuck whined.

"Interesting exercise: let's see who's quicker on the draw." That got him. Kat and Dean got Chuck to the car, and the three were rocketing toward the motel.

As they pulled in to the parking lot, Kat could already sense that Lilith was in there. Hopefully, she hadn't gotten too far. Dean and Kat shoved the door open and pushed Chuck in to the room. Lilith was on top of Sam, holding Ruby's knife in her hand.

"I am the prophet, Chuck," Chuck shouted, somewhat lamely. Lilith rolled her eyes.

"You've got to be joking," she said as she got up and moved toward the prophet.

"Oh, it's no joke," Dean said as the room started trembling. "You see, Chuck here's got an archangel on his shoulder! You've got about 10 seconds before this room is filled with wrath and you're a piece of charcoal!" He was shouting over the trembling and high pitched whining. Kat could feel the presence of the archangel, and based on what she still remembered from Sara, this was her brother, Raphael. "You sure you want to tangle with that?" Dean shouted as light poured in to the room. Lilith took one look around, and then poured from her vessel, screaming.

Kat was asleep in the backseat of the impala. At least, that's what she wanted Sam and Dean to think. In reality, she had put herself in a trance. She was in a shady glen near where she grew up, in the backwoods of Pennsylvania. It was here that she first discovered her ability to perform magick, and where she would go to meditate and hold rituals during the sabbats. It was a place that she always felt safe. This time, however, she wasn't alone.

"This place is peaceful," a gravelly voice said behind her. Kat smiled and turned around to face Castiel.

"And private," she added, motioning to the various types of wards she had placed over the years. "Thank you for coming."

"How can I help?" the angel asked. Kat waved her hand, and two comfortable chairs appeared, along with a small table with snacks. Cas looked at them, amazed.

"What?" Kat asked as she sat. "It's my dream." Cas sat hesitantly in the chair across from her. "Help yourself," she said as she grabbed a banana from the table.

"I don't need to eat," Castiel replied.

"I know, but maybe it wouldn't hurt?" Kat offered through a bite of the yellow fruit. Cas reached out and selected a potato chip from a small bowl. Kat watched with amusement as he pondered the taste.

"This cannot be healthy for you," he commented as he chewed.

"No, but it's tasty and comforting to humans," Kat replied, finishing her banana. "Cas…You probably know why I asked you to be here."

"You want me to help Sarakiel," he replied, brushing off his hands. Kat nodded. "Kat, you realize how difficult that is going to be."

"I know, and I don't like asking you any more than you like entertaining the notion," Kat replied. "You're the only person I can go to, though. We need her…you know that." Cas pondered her words for a few minutes as Kat waited patiently for his answer.

"I will see what I can do," he said, finally. Kat sighed with relief and took his hand.

"Thank you, Castiel," she said, her face full of gratitude. Cas placed a hand over hers and nodded.

"I'm not sure where I should start," he commented.

"Talk to Vasa. She knows where Sara is…if they haven't killed her already," Kat answered, acknowledging that the other angel may have been executed, or punished in some way for helping her. Cas nodded and vanished.

Kat slowly came awake in the back of the Impala, a small smile on her face.

"Good dream?" Sam asked as he looked back at her.

"For the first time in a long time, yes."


	9. The Half-Blood Winchester

I do not own Supernatural. I do own Kat and Sarakiel. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 19: Jump the Shark.

Kat was sitting with Sam and Dean in Cousin Oliver's Hilltop Cafe in Windom, Minnesota. Dean had gotten a call on John's old phone from a kid named Adam Milligan. Adam was claiming to be John's son, and that he needed John's help. They had raced there, Dean not saying a word the whole way there. Sam had done his research, which Kat was rereading. Adam Milligan was born September 29, 1990 to Kate Milligan. There was no father listed on the birth certificate. An Eagle Scout, Adam graduated high school with honors and attends The University of Wisconsin as a pre-med biology major. He seemed like a model kid, but Kat got why Dean was so on edge. He was convinced that this was a trap, set up by the demons. They had chosen a four-seat table in the corner, with Dean making sure that Kat was on his side, next to the window. Sam had pulled out John's journal.

"Dean, I'm telling you, the kid checks out," he implored his brother.

"Great," Dean said, dismissively. "So he's an actual person on the planet Earth. Sucks he's got a demon in him." Just then, a young waitress with a nametag that said 'Denise' on it, approached the table with water glasses and menus.

"Hi," she greeted cheerfully, handing them each a glass of water. "Welcome to Cousin Oliver's."

"Thanks," Kat and Sam said, smiling at her.

"Can I…"

"We're actually waiting on somebody," Dean said, cutting her off. Denise slapped menus down in front of each of them, annoyed.

"Thank you," Sam managed a half-hearted smile before she stalked away. As soon as she was gone, Dean dumped the water glass – the one meant for Adam - out in the plant behind them. He then pulled flask out of the duffel bag he had brought in. "Holy water?" Sam asked.

"Yup," Dean confirmed. "One sip of Jesus juice, this evil bitch is gonna be in a world of hurt." He put the glass back on the table as Denise walked past, and pulled out a felt-wrapped bundle when she was gone.

"And what if he's not possessed?" Kat asked.

"Then he's a shapeshifter," Dean answered, placing silver cutlery at Adam's place at the table, moving the silverware that was already there and dropping it to the floor.

"Hence the silver," Sam commented.

"Look," Dean said, determined. "Either way, this thing is gonna bleed. I mean, using Dad as bait? That's the last mistake of it's short, pitiful life." Sam frowned as his brother. He glanced at Kat, who just shook her head. Dean looked between both of them as they both frowned at him. "What?" Sam looked away, trying to find the words he needed. "What?" Dean asked again.

"Dean, listen," Sam finally said, flipping through the journal. "There's an entry in Dad's journal from January of 1990, saying he's headed to Minnesota to check out a case. That's roughly, oh, about nine months before the kid was born."

"Coincidence," Dean said quickly. Sam's bitch face came out in full force.

"Coincidence," he repeated, scoffing. "The next two pages of the journal? Torn out." He opened the journal, confirming his description.

"You're not actually buying this, are you?" Dean asked his little brother, with a look at Kat to ask the same question.

"Look, man. I don't want to believe it either. I'm just saying it's possible," Sam said, closing the journal and waving it slightly. Dean looked at Kat.

"Dean, it's not completely out of the question. Your dad was human…with human needs," Kat said.

"Kat's right," Sam said. "I mean, Dad would be gone for weeks at a time, and he wasn't exactly a monk. A hunter rolls into town, kills a monster, saves the girl…sometimes the girl's grateful."

"Well, now I'm thinking about Dad sex. Stop talking," Dean muttered.

"Maybe he slipped one past the goalie," Sam finished.

"Dude!" Dean exclaimed, disgusted. Just then, the door chimes went off. A young man with tousled blonde hair and blue eyes walked in, looking around. Sam turned around as Kat and Dean locked gazes on him.

"Adam?" Sam called. Adam turned at the sound of his name, and walked over as Sam raised his hand in greeting.

"You Sam?" Adam asked as he came over.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Uh, this is Dean," he said, motioning to his brother across the table. "And this is…"

"My girlfriend, Kat," Dean said, finishing Sam's sentence. Both Sam and Kat looked at the elder Winchester in surprise. Kat felt her heart flutter, and heat rise to her face. However, improv being a critical skill for hunters, they went with it.

"Yeah, hi," Kat managed to get out. Adam nodded at the two of them, set his backpack down on the floor, and sat down next to Sam as Dean took Kat's hand and gently held it on the table. She could feel how tense he was, and she gave him a reassuring squeeze to try and relax him. It sort of worked.

"So, um…how did you know my dad?" Adam asked as a half-hearted attempt at friendly conversation.

"Uh, we worked together," Sam said, taking the lead. Adam looked confused.

"How did he die?"

"On the job," Sam replied.

"He was a mechanic, right?" Adam asked, still looking confused.

"A car fell on him," Dean said, demonstrating his improv skills with a flawless delivery. Denise came back to the table, in a much better mood now that Adam was here.

"Hey, Adam," she said. "How you doing?" She started to put a glass of water in front of him, but Dean took it from in front of him.

"Oh, I'll take that," Dean said, vitriol dripping from his voice behind his award-winning smile. "I'm very thirsty." He sipped the water as Denise looked on, displeased.

"The usual, Adam?" she asked the younger boy.

"Uh yeah," he answered, still a little confused. "Thanks, Denise." She left, and Adam picked up the glass of holy water that Dean had filled a few minutes earlier. The three hunters watched carefully as Adam took a sip…and nothing happened.

"So," Sam said, trying to keep the mood lighter. "When's the last time you saw John?"

"I don't even know," Adam replied. "It's…a couple of years." Kat felt Dean shift as he pulled out his gun underneath the table and point it at Adam. Kat felt her adrenaline start rushing as she squeezed Dean's hand a little harder.

"Why did you decide to call him now?" Sam continued, noticing Kat's change.

"I didn't know who else to call. He's the only family I got," Adam replied. Sam just looked at him. "My mom's missing." Sam and Kat looked at each other for a second.

"Really? I'm sorry," Sam said. "Uh, for how long?" This had the makings of a case.

"It's tragic, really," Dean said, the vitriol still in his voice. "But if you're John's kid, how come we've never heard of you?"

"Cause John and me didn't really know each other," Adam replied. "Not until a few years ago, anyway."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"My mom never talked about him," Adam said. "I knew some stuff,"

"What kind of stuff?" Kat asked, squeezing Dean's hand even harder to keep him quiet.

"My mom's a nurse, and Dad came into the ER, pretty torn up. Hunting accident or something," Adam answered. The hunters shared a look as Adam continued. "And I knew his name: John Winchester. That's about it. We're not exactly a nuclear family."

"Yeah, well, who is these days?" Sam commented.

"So, when did you, uh," Dean said, taking Kat's cue and calming down a little. "When did you finally meet him?"

"When I was twelve," Adam replied. "My mom had one of his old numbers, and after I begged her – God, twenty-four seven – she finally called him." Kat felt Dean tense up again, and noticed his hand tightening on the gun. "God, when John heard he had a son, he raced to town. I mean, he dropped everything. He drove all night." Dean looked like he was going to kill the kid when Denise walked up with a plate of food, which she placed in front of Adam.

"There you go," she said.

"Thanks," Adam said, giving her a little smile.

"Well, that's heartwarming," Dean spat. Adam looked at the three of them, and indicated his lunch.

"You mind?" he asked. Kid has manners, Kat thought, a small grin crossing her face.

"Please, dig in," Dean replied. All three of them watched as Adam pulled the napkin out without touching the silver tools in front of him. Kat distinctly heard the gun under the table cock.

"He would swing by once a year or so," Adam continued, picking up the silverware. There was no reaction. The kid was human. Dean looked away, uncocking the gun and putting it away as Adam dug in. "You know, called when he could, but still. He taught me poker and pool, and even bought me my first beer when I was fifteen. And, uh…he showed me how to drive. Dad, he had this beautiful 'sixty-seven Impala…"

"Oh, this is crap," Dean exclaimed. Kat and Sam winced. Adam had pushed the Baby button. "You know what, you're lying."

"No, I'm not," Adam replied, confused and hurt. Dean wasn't convinced.

"Uh, yeah, you are."

"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you to call me a liar?" Adam snapped, going on the offensive.

"We're John Winchester's sons, that's who," Dean said, indicating himself and Sam. "WE are his sons." Adam sat there, stunned.

"I've got brothers?" he asked softly. Kat felt bad for the kid. He lost his mom and dad, and just when he thought he didn't have any family left, he finds out he has brothers. Dean, however, wasn't having it.

"No, you don't have brothers. Look, man, I don't know if you're a hunter or what kind of game you're playing here," Dean snarled.

"I have never been hunting in my life," Adam said.

"Whatever, I'm out of here," Dean scoffed. "Come on, Sam, Kat." Dean got up to leave before Adam made him stop with a simple sentence.

"I can prove it."

They followed Adam to his house. Once they were in, Adam showed them a picture of him and John. John was wearing a baseball cap, and they appeared to be at a game."

"He took you to a baseball game?" Dean asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, when I turned fourteen," Adam replied, as if it were normal. "Dad was around for a few of my birthdays." Sam, who was holding John's journal, flipped to a page and read out loud from it.

"September 29th, 2004. One word: 'Minnesota'," he said, looking at Dean, confirming what Adam was saying. John was intentionally vague about this, and Kat knew why. He had gone and – as Dean would probably put it – cheated on Mary. Adam was oblivious to all of this, John having never mentioned the fact that he was a widower/hunter taking care of two sons on his own. He knew that, someday, his sons would inherit his journal. He would never want them to know about something that he probably viewed as shameful. Furthermore, it looked as though John had tried to give Adam as normal of a life as possible, something he didn't do with his two legitimate sons. Dean was clearly thinking the same thing.

"He took you to a freakin' baseball game?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Adam said again. "Why? What'd Dad do with you on your birthday?" As he took the picture back, Dean gave a very sarcastic shrug. "Oh…" Adam looked away as he was frowned at by the elder Winchester.

"Adam, you said you called Dad because your mom was missing," Sam said, jumping in to change the subject, something that Kat internally thanked him for.

"Yeah."

"How long has she been gone?" Sam had gone into case mode.

"Three days."

"Who was the last person to see her?" Dean asked, joining Sam.

"Mr. Abbinanti, our neighbor," Adam replied. "He saw her come home Tuesday night, but she never showed up to work on Wednesday." Kat and Dean noticed another picture, one of John hugging Kate, who looked an awful lot like Mary. Kat understood even more now.

"Did you call the police?" Sam asked.

"Mom's supervisor at the hospital did. And then I drove down here as fast as I could," Adam replied. He then looked down. "I should have been here," he added quietly.

"What'd the, uh, what'd the cops say?" Dean asked as a half-hearted attempt to keep Adam focused.

"That they, uh, they searched the house," Adam said. "They didn't find anything." After a pause, he continued. "She wouldn't leave without telling anybody. It's like she just dropped off the face of the earth, you know?"

The four of them walked upstairs to Kate's room to have a look around. Dean checked behind the dresser, as Kat noticed more pictures of a younger Adam with Kate and John, as well as one of an even younger Adam with just Kate. Dean focused on the on with his dad.

"The, uh, nightstand was knocked over," he said, trying to focus back on the case. "Was there anything else?"

"Oh, not really," Adam replied. "The sheriff said there's no sign of a break-in." Dean and Sam looked around the room. "What you think the cops missed something?"

"They don't have my eyes," Dean replied absently.

"You're a mechanic," Adam pointed out.

"Yeah, that's right," Dean replied, as if Adam had just become Captain Obvious. After a second of silence, Adam looked as though he was taking a leap off of a cliff.

"Dean, what else can you tell me about dad?" he asked his newly-discovered half-brother.

"You knew him," Dean said as he looked around more.

"Not as well as you," Adam pointed out.

"Trust me, kid," Dean said, locking eyes with the boy. "You don't want to know." Adam was about to say something when Sam appeared, holding some papers.

"Give us a minute," he said to Adam, and walked out of the room.

"Dean seems a little on edge," Adam commented when they were out of earshot. "Is he always like this?"

"Only when it comes to John," Kat replied, looking around.

"Why?" Adam sat down on the bed and looked at her. Kat took a breath and faced Adam.

"He blames himself for John's death," she said, not caring what Dean might say later. Adam was family, and he had a right to know.

"Dean blames himself for a car falling on him?" Adam said, incredulous. Kat mentally kicked herself for not remembering the cover story in the heat of the moment. She had to think fast…and she did.

"Dean's the eldest. He's one hell of a mechanic. Who do you think takes care of that Impala out there?" Kat said, motioning to where the car was parked. "He wasn't in the shop the day John died. He was sick. The police said that John saved a coworker because he heard the car start to fall. They didn't get the car off of him fast enough. He bled out before the paramedics could get there. Dean still figures that he could have done something to save John had he been there." Adam stood there, wide eyed. Kat thought that Dean would be proud of her improv skills, something she had been honing since traveling with the boys had become normal for her. With a sigh, she sat down on the bed next to him. "Dean has literally been through Hell, and Sam has done everything he can to try and keep him together."

"What about you? Aren't you his girlfriend?" Adam said. Shit…smart kid, Kat thought.

"Yeah, but Dean and I haven't been together for very long," she replied. "We met about six months ago, when they were…on a hunting trip in the same town that I was writing a travel blog article for. They were in the same diner I was, we got to talking, and after a few days, Dean asked me to go with them. I was going the same way anyway, and they seemed like fun guys. They've exposed me to some things I've never done before, like how to fix cars. I guess we kind of just hit it off."

This was, of course, a bold-faced lie. Kat didn't have the heart to say "Hey, I'm the vessel of an Archangel who's trapped up in Heaven by her older brothers. I met the guys when she was ripped from my body after helping them catch a dangerous demon who helped Dean jumpstart the apocalypse!" Adam wasn't the wiser, and Dean wasn't ready to tell him the truth yet. Kat respected his wishes and made up as much as she could. Then, Dean walked back in to the room, holding up the picture of another missing person.

"Hey, does your mom know Joe Barton?" Dean asked, holding up the photo.

"Uh, I don't think so," Adam replied. "Why?" Dean looked back at his brother, and then back to Adam. It was then that he noticed the long scratches by Adam's feet, leading to under the bed. Kat followed his eyes, and noticed them too.

"What is it?" Adam said, his eyes not leaving Dean.

"Watch out," Dean said, and flipped the edge of the comforter up as Adam got out of the way. He looked under the bed, and looked at Adam and Sam. "Give me a hand with the mattress," he said. The other two obliged, and all four of them find themselves staring at a vent, one big enough for a full-grown person to fit through. Dean and Sam both looked at each other, and Kat rolled her eyes as they rock-paper-scissored for who would go in. To Kat's complete lack of surprise, Sam won with rock over scissors. "Every time," Dean said, hands on his hips. Dean wasn't down there for very long, and when he came back up, he was white as a sheet. He told Adam to call the cops again, and all but pushed Sam and Kat out the door.

They were checked in to the Kismet motel before too long. Dean sat on the bed cleaning his shotgun while Sam and Kat answered some emails and did some research on the case that Sam had brought to Dean's attention in the house. There was a knock on the door. When Sam opened it, Adam was standing there in a fury.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded as he walked in.

"Adam, hey," Sam managed to get out as Adam pushed past him. Kat sat Dean quickly throw a cloth over the shotgun he was cleaning and stood up to face the angry young man. "Take it easy," Sam said as the whirlwind known as Adam Milligan stalked the room. Kat shut her laptop and stood up.

"No, don't tell me to take it easy, okay?" Adam fired back. "My house is a crime scene, my mom's probably dead, and you two – well, you tell me to call the cops, but you bail before they show? So, who are you really?" No one answered, so he continued his tirade, looking at Dean. "Cops didn't know where to look for my mom, Dean, but you did. And I heard you talking earlier – something about grave robberies." Kat then saw Adam's eyes move to the shotgun sticking out from underneath the blanket. "You're not mechanics. I just want to know what's going on here." When no one said anything, he added, somewhat desperately, "Please."

"We're hunters," Sam said, once again taking the lead.

"Sammy!" Dean snapped.

"He has a right to know, Dean," Sam fired back.

"What do you mean, 'hunters'?" Adam asked. Dean shook his head as Sam launched into the truth. Dean stepped outside and Kat followed him out.

"Dean, you okay?" Kat asked as the door shut.

"Not really," Dean said, looking around as he leaned on Baby. "I mean…why didn't Dad tell us? About Adam?"

"Dean, your Dad probably didn't want him dragged in to the hunt for Azazel. Hunting isn't exactly a glamourous life, is it?" Kat said, moving up next to him. "That's probably why he tried to give him as normal of a life as possible, and why he stayed away as much as he did."

"But…what about mom?" Dean said, looking at Kat.

"Your mom had been gone for how long? He was human, Dean, and you should know as well as anyone that humans have needs," Kat said, keeping her voice as gentle as possible. "Don't you think your mom would want your dad to be happy?"

"She'd want him to be loyal to her, not sleep around and make more kids," Dean snapped. "Wasn't he happy enough hunting down that thing that killed her?"

"Were you?" Kat asked, overlooking the snap. Dean opened his mouth to say something, but something in his face changed and he closed his mouth, looking down at the ground.

"I guess not," Dean said softly.

"Life on the road gets lonely, you know that," Kat said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Your dad only had you and Sam, and you two have each other. You two do a lot for each other, but there are things that you can't do for him, or him for you. Your dad loved your mom, there's no doubt in my mind. He just needed to forget sometimes." Dean looked up slightly, locking his green eyes on Kat's gray ones.

"You're right, life does get lonely on the road. And there are things that Sammy and I can't do for each other," he said. "That's why I hope you'll stick around." Kat felt her heart start fluttering again.

"What?"

"Look, I suck at this romance kind of stuff," Dean said, taking both of her hands, and facing her squarely. "What I said back in the diner…that was my way of asking." Kat's eyes grew wide.

"Dean…were you seriously asking me to be your girlfriend?" she asked quietly.

"If I said yes…was your answer at the diner a yes?" Kat hadn't seen Dean vulnerable many times. It was usually when he was talking about his family, especially Sam. However, the light of hope sparkling in his eyes was strong, as was the shadow of a wall that he was ready to throw up at rejection.

In truth, Kat had been thinking about this ever since that incident with Chuck. Their makeout session outside of the hotel had sparked something, and the one time that Sam kissed her, she realized that the only one she could think about was Dean. A slow smile spread across her face, and she gave a small nod, her gray eyes sparkling.

"It was."

"So…you'll be…" Dean said, a goofy grin spreading across his own face. Kat answered by pulling her hands from his, grabbing the back of his head, and pulling him into a searing kiss. Dean reacted almost immediately, wrapping his arms around her waist and hoisting her up. When she broke away a few seconds later, her feet were still in the air. The two smiled at each other as Dean slowly put Kat down, not letting her go without one last kiss. After a moment of silent bliss, Kat looked at the door to the hotel room.

"We should get back in there before Sam starts with the life story," she said. Dean sighed and nodded.

"At least I'm not going in there alone," he said, taking her hand and leading her back in to the hotel room. Adam and Sam were sat across from each other. Sam glanced at the pair now holding hands, but he ignored it as the two joined them on the beds, Dean sitting next to Sam, and Kat sitting next to Adam.

"Okay, so basically," Adam said as they sat down. "You're saying that every movie monster, every nightmare that I've ever had, that's all real?"

"Godzilla's just a movie," Dean offered.

"We hunt them," Sam said. "So did Dad."

"And what about you?" Adam asked Kat. "Are you really Dean's girlfriend?"

"That much is true, yeah," Kat replied. "I just also happen to be a witch." All three were shocked when Adam just nodded.

"Okay."

"'okay'?" Dean said. "That's it?"

"What am I supposed to say?" Adam asked.

"That we're liars, that we're crazy," Dean replied, choosing the two most standard replies that normal people give. "Nobody just says 'okay'."

"Well, you're my brothers," Adam said. "You're telling me the truth, right?"

"Yeah," Dean said, still skeptical.

"Then I believe you," Adam concluded. "Now, what took my mom?" Right down to business. He's more like them then they realize, Kat thought with a grin.

"We're not sure," Sam said. "Something's in town stealing bodies, living and dead, but we don't know what yet."

"There's a long list of freaks that fit the bill," Dean added.

"You think maybe she might still be alive?" Adam asked. Dean looked down without answering. Sam looked down as Adam turned to him, and Kat did the same thing when he turned to her. "Oh," he said quietly. After a second, he looked back up at the three of them. "How can I help?"

"You can't," Dean said automatically.

"This thing killed my mom. If you're hunting it, I want in," Adam snapped. Kat could see a familiar fire in his eyes. It was the same fire that was in Dean and Sam's eyes whenever they talked about Lilith.

"No," Dean said, standing his ground.

"Dean, look, maybe," Sam began.

"Maybe what?"

"He lost his mother. Maybe we can understand what that feels like," Sam finished.

"Why do you think Dad never told us about this kid, Sam?" Dean fired back. "Huh? Why do you think he ripped out the pages?"

"Because…"

"Because he was protecting him!"

"Dad's dead, Dean," Sam pointed out loudly.

"That doesn't matter," Dean shouted. "He didn't want Adam to have our lives, okay? And we are gonna respect his wishes!"

"Do I get a say in this?" Adam cut in.

"No!" the brothers said, simultaneously. Dean grabbed his coat and headed for the door.

"Babysit the kid," he said absently to Sam.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked as he watched his brother go for the door.

"I'm going out!" He slammed the door behind him. Sam looked at Kat pleadingly. Kat sighed, grabbed her jacked, and followed Dean out the door, calling after him.

"I'm just going out," Dean said as he climbed into the Impala.

"And you're not going alone, end of story," Kat replied, climbing in next to him. "My fed suit still in the back?" Dean nodded. "Good."

Kat and Dean, or Agents Jet and Nugent, were being shown around the Millsap tomb by a cemetery director.

"This tomb was built in 1926," the director was saying. "Four generations of the Millsap family were interred here."

"They don't build 'em like this anymore," Dean said, looking around.

"Tell me, Agents," the director said, and Kat could feel a sales pitch coming. "Have either of you through where you might like to spend eternity?" Kat and Dean looked at each other.

"All the damn time," the two said simultaneously.

"So, three bodies went missing," Kat continued. "Any idea who did it?

"Hooligans," the director replied. "Sick, deranged hooligans." Dean noticed something on the side of the tomb. He stuck his finger in it, smelled it, and recoiled at the smell.

"This isn't blood," Dean said, pointing to it. "What is this?"

"No, it's embalming fluid," the director said. "Whoever committed this crime didn't just take the corpses. They opened them up." The two hunters looked at the man, and then each other.

The two of them sat at a bar and opened the papers in their hands to start research. The bartender saw them and filled two glasses at the tap.

"First beer's on the house for cops," she said. "Feds too."

"Are we that obvious?" Dean asked with a grin.

"I know all the local badges," she replied, setting the glasses down in front of Kat and Dean. "And you two have that…Law & Order vibe." The two nodded their thanks and Kat took a drink as the bartender picked up a cloth and started drying another glass. "So, what's the FBI doing in Windom?"

"Looking into the disappearance of Joe Barton," Dean answered. He slid a photo of the missing person across the bar. The bartender looked at the photo, stricken.

"I assume you knew him?" Kat asked.

"A little," she said, slightly ironically. "I'm his wife, Lisa."

"Well, Lisa, what can you tell me about his disappearance?" Dean asked, leaning in to the bar.

"Same thing I told the sheriff," she said. "He stayed late Friday before last to do inventory. Never came home."

"And the police?" Kat asked as Dean took his glass.

"Nothing," Lisa replied. "Truth is, I was scared they stopped looking. But, now you're here." They looked behind the bar, and saw a picture of Joe in a police uniform.

"Joe was a cop?" Dean asked.

"Deputy," Lisa said. "For a little while. That was a looong time ago."

"He didn't happen to work the grave robbery case back in 'ninety, did he?" Kat asked.

"He did, yeah. Joe was the one who found those bodies. He got an award for that," Lisa answered.

"That was an interesting case," Dean commented. Next to Joe's picture was an article about him finding the missing bodies. "He ever tell you how he did it?" He scanned the newspaper photo for his dad, who he found quickly.

"Most of the time, he said good, solid police work," she replied. "But after a few beers, he'd admit he had a little help."

"From who?" Kat asked.

"A 'specialist'," Lisa said. "That's all he'd say."

"Cops ever find the guy who stole the bodies?" Dean asked before taking a drink.

"No," Lisa replied. "But when I asked Joe about it, he'd say not to worry – that 'we took care of what done it'." The two looked at each other as pieces started falling in to place.

"So, what're you thinking?" Kat asked as they drove back to the hotel.

"That whatever done it is back for revenge," Dean answered.

"Are you sure? I mean, your dad was as thorough as you are," Kat said.

"Okay, so maybe it had buddies out for revenge?" Dean reasoned.

"More likely. They're after the people involved, and since they can't get to your dad, they're going after anyone else," Kat said. "That includes Adam and his Mom." Dean looked at her and the engine gunned just slightly. They pulled up the motel just in time to see Sam being dragged under Adam's truck.

"Dean, Kat, help!" Adam shouted, trying to drag Sam up. Dean ran over and grabbed Sams other arm and pulled him free. Kat grabbed the shotgun that, presumably, Sam had dropped, and fired under the truck. The four of them looked at each other as Adam flopped on to the ground in exhaustion.

Dean backed Adam's truck up and saw that he had parked over a sewer grate, which was half open. As Sam and Dean examined it, Kat walked up.

"I winged it," she said. "Did you see anything?"

"I didn't get a good look," Sam said.

"What the hell is this thing?" Dean asked.

"Why – Who – should we go after it?" Adam asked, trying to wrap his head around the situation.

"No, no. In that maze? That thing's long gone," Dean answered.

"All right, so, we don't know what it is, but we do know who it's going after," Sam said. "Joe Barton, Adam's mom…"

"And Adam," Dean finished. "It was under his truck, just waiting for him."

"It set a trap, and I walked right in to it," Sam said.

"Doesn't matter," Kat said. "I was right, there's a pattern. Joe Barton was a cop. I'm pretty sure that he helped your dad. So, they've got his partner, his girl, and now they're after his son."

"All of the people dad knew in town," Sam agreed.

"And it wants revenge," Kat said. The three of them looked at Adam.

They went back to the Milligan house that night.

"Grab your stuff," Dean told Adam. "We'll hit the road." Adam turned on the lights and went upstairs as Sam sat down at the table.

"We shouldn't leave," Sam said, putting his injured ankle up on another chair.

"Yeah, let's stay here where the kid's mom got ganked," Dean said sarcastically. "Good one."

"I'm serious," Sam said.

"No, Sam, we're gonna take the kid, we're gonna drop him off at Bobby's, and then you and me are gonna come back here and finish what Dad started," Dean stated. Sam stopped with an ace bandage in his hand.

"How?" he asked. "We got no leads, no witnesses. We do have what this thing wants."

"You want to use the kid as bait?" Dean asked his brother in disbelief.

"Maybe this thing will come back," Sam said. "We could train Adam – get him ready."

"He could die, Sam," Kat put in. Dean agreed with her.

"We could all die, Kat," Sam pushed back. "Even if we do kill this thing, there are tons of other freaks that want revenge, on Dad, on us…What if they find the kid and he's not ready?" Sam unrolled the ace bandage and started wrapping up his sprained ankle. Adam walked back in to the room, backpack on his shoulder.

"I'll do it," he said. "Whatever it takes, I'll do it. I want to do it." Dean looked at Sam, who looked at Adam.

"Then we have some work to do," Kat said.

Sam took over Adam's tutelage, especially since Dean didn't trust him. Adam proved to be a decent shot, and a quick study on lore.

"This is some job you guys have," Adam said after Sam finished a story ending with a homemade flamethrower.

"Being a hunter isn't a job, Adam. It's life," Sam said. "You're pre-med. You got a girlfriend, friends?" Adam nodded. "Not anymore you don't. If you're really gonna do this, you can't have those kinds of connections, ever. They're weaknesses. You'll just put those people in danger, get them killed." Dean and Kat looked away, eyes meeting each others. "That's the price we pay," Sam continued. "You cut 'em out, and you don't look back. There's only one thing you can count on: Family."

"Sam, can I talk to you?" Dean interrupted. The two went over by the stairs while Kat took over instruction. She pulled a book out of her own bag and handed it to Adam.

"You might want to look at this, too," she said. The Essential Enochian Grimoire by Aaron Leitch.

"Enochian?" Adam read.

"Language of the Angels. Since they're real, you might want to at least have a basic knowledge," Kat explained.

"Angels? They're real?" Adam said with disbelief. Kat just nodded. "What are they like?"

"I've only met a few," Kat said. "You may have heard the boys mention Cas. He's a normal Angel, and despite being a good little soldier, he's a good guy. Uriel, who you will never have to meet, was a great big bag of dicks. His boss, Zachariah, even more so. Son of a bitch tried to kill me…well, tried to have Cas kill me."

"What happened?"

"I reminded him who I share a body with," Kat said with a grin. "Their boss, the Archangel Sarakiel. I'm her vessel."

"Vessel? You mean, she uses your body?" Adam asked.

"Yep, whenever she needs to. I gave her permission. Remember that: an Angel can never possess a body without yoru permission first." Adam nodded. Dean and Sam came over after their talk.

"I'm gonna go back to the tomb and see if I missed anything," he said. "Kat, come with me. Sam, stay here with Adam."

"Be careful, you two," Kat said, and headed out the door with Dean.

Dean cracked open the tomb and the two shined flashlights in. Kat spotted a stone in the wall, large enough to hid a tunnel. Dean went and got a crowbar and pried it open. Sure enough, there was a tunnel behind that stone.

"Home sweet home," he muttered. Kat couldn't hold back a snort. Dean grinned at his girlfriend's sense of humor. As they shined their flashlights in to the tunnel, they heard a squish where Dean stepped. Looking down, they saw blood, a large pair of black glasses and a severed arm. Dean picked up the arm and Kat picked up the glasses.

"Sloppy joe," Kat muttered. Dean snorted in turn. Suddenly, there was a noise in the tunnel. Out of instinct, Dean pulled out his gun and fired off several shots. The tunnel collapsed behind them.

"Son of a bitch," Dean cursed. Kat's heart started racing. Dean pulled out his phone to make a call, and cursed again when he saw that there was no signal. They moved to the door of the tomb and found that it was sealed.

"Come on," Kat said. "We're stuck, so we should at least have a look around." Dean nodded and started exploring with her.

"Tomb diving with my girlfriend," Dean mused. "Sadly, 'girlfriend' is the word in that sentence I thought I would never say." Kat looked at him, surprised.

"Happy to say it, though?" she asked.

"Yep," Dean replied, smiling. Kat smiled back and continued searching. A glint off of one of the coffins caught her eye. On closer inspection, it was blood…fresh.

"Hey," Kat called. Dean walked over, and the two of them opened the blood-spattered coffin. Kat felt herself retch when they saw what was inside. It was Kate Milligan…or what was left of her.

"Well…shit," the both said. They found another one and cracked it open too. Inside was the fresher remains of Adam. This time, Dean retched, too.

"Wait, if that's Adam, then…who's…" Kat said. She and Dean looked at each other, and the panic both rose on to their faces. Only one name came in to both of their heads.

Sam.

They both looked around frantically, trying to find some way that they could escape. A stained-glass window on the roof of the tomb, depicting an angel, was their best hope.

"Why is it always angels?" Dean muttered under his breath. He wrenched a long piece of metal off one of the coffins, Kat gave him a boost, and he smashed through the window. He lifted himself out, and then reached through to pull Kat up through with him. They flew in to the Impala as fast as they could, and gunned it back to the Milligan's house. The car didn't even come to a complete stop, and Kat was out of her seat and moving for the trunk. Dean got out almost as fast and in record time, they were armed to the teeth and charging in to the Milligan house. In the kitchen, they found Adam and his mom standing over Sam, who was strapped to a table and bleeding from cuts on his arms. Dean gave a shout and fired a shot at "Adam" who was slammed in to the wall, a sizable hole in his shoulder.

"Dean, Kat, they're ghouls!" Sam shouted. Kat turned and took a shot at "Kate", and her head blew up.

"Head-shot," Kat said. Adam and Dean got into a fight after Adam threw Kat through a wall. After a few minutes, Dean managed to take Adam down. Kat managed to get up and get over to Sam before he bled out. Dean grabbed a couple of towels and helped apply pressure to Sam's cuts and helped him up.

"Thank you," a weak Sam managed to get out.

"That's what family's for, right?" Dean said. "Keep pressure on that."

"You sure we should do this?" Sam asked, looking at Adam's body. They were giving him a hunter's funeral. His body was wrapped in a white sheet, and a funeral pyre was ready to go. Dean opened up a bottle of lighter fluid.

"Ghouls didn't fake those pictures," he said. "They didn't fake dad's journal." He began to sprinkle lighter fluid over Adam's body. "Adam was our brother. He died like a hunter. He deserves to go out like one."

"Maybe we can bring him back," Sam suggested. "Get a hold of Cas, call in a favor."

"Bad idea," Kat said.

"Yeah. Adam's in a better place," Dean said. He struck a match and tossed it on the pyre. They watched as Adam's body went up in flames. Kat moved over to Dean and held his hand. "You know, I finally get why you and Dad butted heads so much," Dean said to Sam. "You two were practically the same person." Sam looked over at his brother as Dean continued. "I mean, I worshipped the guy, you know? I dressed like him, I acted like him, I listen to the same music. But you were more like him than I will ever be. And I see that now."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Sam chuckled.

"You can take it any way you want," Dean said. Dean squeezed Kat's hand. Kat put her head on Dean's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, you two," she said. "I know you didn't know him very well, but he was still your brother."

"Thanks, Kat," Sam said. Dean turned his head and gave her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Even Dean had to admit, it felt good having someone else there for him.


	10. When Katie met Jimmy

I own Kat and Sarakiel. I do not own Supernatural. Contains action and dialogue from Season 4, Episode 20: The Rapture.

Dean, Sam, and Kat were on their way to a warehouse. Castiel came to Dean in a dream, telling him to meet up at a certain location, and that it was imperative. They had taken off in the middle of the night, and drove all night. Unsure of what to find there, they went in armed and ready.

"What did he say, Dean? What was so important?" Sam asked as they climbed a set of stairs.

"If I knew, would I be here?" Dean pointed out.

At the top of the stairs, they encountered a mess.

"What the hell?" Dean asked.

"It looks like a bomb went off," Sam commented as they looked around.

"There was a fight here," Kat said.

"Between who?" Sam asked. Dean's flashlight came across a familiar sight on a wall.

"Check it out," Dean said, drawing their attention to a banishing sigil on the wall. "Look familiar?"

"Yeah, it does," Sam said.

"A banishing sigil? Angels were here?" Kat said, looking around. "Was Cas fighting his own kind?"

"I don't know," Dean said. A further search revealed more wreckage, until Dean called out.

"Sam, Kat!" he called. "Cas? Cas. Hey, Cas?" The three of them ran over to the trench coat-clad angel. Cas got up, and Kat immediately noticed something was off.

"What's…? What's…? What's going on?" Cas said. Kat heard the difference in his voice, and was suspicious.

"Just take it easy. Take it easy," Dean said, trying to help him steady himself.

"Oh. No," Cas said.

"Cas, you okay?" Sam asked.

"Castiel. I'm not Castiel. It's me," Cas said. Now, the boys were suspicious.

"Who's 'me'?" Sam said.

"Jimmy. My name's Jimmy," said the man.

"He's Cas' vessel, guys," Kat said.

"Where the hell is Castiel?" Dean asked.

"He's gone," Jimmy answered.

Jimmy sat at their motel room table, devouring a hamburger. Dean and Sam were both sitting at the table, and Kat sat on the nearest bed.

"You mind slowing down? You're gonna give me angina," Dean said as he watched Jimmy wolf down his food.

"I'm hungry," Jimmy replied.

"When's the last time you ate?" Sam asked him.

"I don't know. Months," Jimmy replied. Dean and Sam turned and looked at Kat.

"What? I've gone that long with Sara," she said.

"What the hell happened back there?" Sam asked. "It looked like an angel battle royale."

"All I remember is a flash of light, and I…uh…I woke up and I was just, you know, me again," Jimmy answered.

"So, what?" Dean said. "Cas just ditched out of your meat suit?"

"I really don't know," Jimmy replied.

"You remember anything about being possessed?" Sam continued asking. "Anything at all."

"Yeah," Jimmy said. "Bits and pieces. I mean, angel inside of you, it's kinda like being chained to a comet."

"Ain't that the truth," Kat commented. Jimmy looked over at her, and his eyes widened slightly as if seeing her for the first time.

"I remember you," Jimmy said softly. "You're Sarakiel's vessel. I've seen you a few times…well, I've seen Sarakiel a few times."

"Hey there, bro," Kat said with a grin and a small wave. "Welcome to the club."

"Cas said he wanted to tell us something," Dean said. "Please tell me you remember that."

"Sorry," Jimmy said.

"Come on, what do you know?" Jimmy put down his food and looked at all three of them in turn.

"My name is Jimmy Novak. I'm from Pontiac, Illinois. I have a family: my wife, Amelia, and my daughter, Claire. I'm a devout man, always looking for a way to serve God. One night, I was getting ready to go to bed when I heard something. It started as a light noise, and then it became deafening. I had a fit, but I could hear something. Something spoke to me. It was Castiel."

Sam and Dean went outside to talk, and Kat stayed inside with Jimmy.

"So, they're brothers, but what about you?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm Dean's girlfriend," Kat replied, still loving the taste of the phrase on her tongue.

"Girlfriend? So you just…hooked up with him one day?" Jimmy said. Kat raised an eyebrow at him, giving her own interpretation of Sam's bitchface.

"I'm gonna ignore that because of who you share a body with. If you must know, Sara introduced me to those two. I travel for a living, and I'm a witch, so ganking monsters just seemed like a good thing to do," Kat replied. She noted Jimmy's slight shift away when she said the word 'witch', and gave him a small chuckle. "When I say witch, I mean wiccan, genius. They wouldn't let me travel with them if I was one of those deal-with-the-devil kinds of witches."

"But…how are you…?"

"The vessel of an Archangel? No clue."

"You don't believe in God, or in Jesus Christ. How can you even become a vessel?" Jimmy pressed.

"Just because it's not my faith doesn't mean I can't understand or acknowledge the existence of other faiths," Kat snapped. "Just because Jesus Christ isn't my personal lord and savior – which you will never read in the Bible, by the way – doesn't mean I can't acknowledge that he was an amazing man who did wonderful things. Just because I don't follow the teachings of God doesn't mean I can't want to do good in this world!" Jimmy seemed stunned. Kat took a breath and walked away.

"Sorry. Questions like that have touched a button with me…and for a good reason," she said.

"No…I'm sorry," Jimmy said quietly. "I shouldn't have questioned Sarakiel's reasons. She obviously saw something in you to choose you as her vessel." Kat turned and looked at him.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Don't mention it," he answered. Kat walked over to her duffel bag and pulled out a bottle of water, tossing it to him.

"Here," she said. "I know that food is delicious, but you should probably stay hydrated as well."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Jimmy asked as he screwed open the bottle and took a large swig. "You're the vessel of an Archangel. You could be lording it over me right now."

"We're vessels, Jimmy. We should stick together." Kat answered. Sam and Dean walked back in, grim looks on their faces.

"The hell are you talking about, I can't go home?" Jimmy demanded.

"There's a good chance you have a bull's-eye on your back," Dean said.

"What? From who?"

"Demons," Dean said.

"Come on, that's crazy," Jimmy said. "What do they want with me?"

"Information," Kat answered. "You're the vessel of an angel."

"I don't know anything," Jimmy protested.

"I know, but – " Dean began.

"Look, I'm done, okay?" Jimmy said. "With demons, angels, all of it. I just want to go home."

"We understand," Dean said.

"I don't think you do understand. I've been shot and stabbed and healed, and my body has been dragged all over Earth. By some miracle, I'm out, and I am done. I've given enough, okay?" Jimmy snapped.

"Look, all we're saying is that until we figure this out, the safest place is with us," Sam said, trying to reason with him.

"How long?" Jimmy asked.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Sam answered. Jimmy wasn't having that. He shook his head and tried to move past Sam.

"Where are you going?" Dean asked, getting up.

"To see my wife and daughter, okay?" Jimmy stated.

"No, you're not. You're just going to put those people in danger," Sam said, trying to reason with him.

"So what, now I'm a prisoner?" Jimmy snarled.

"Harsh way to put it," Sam said. Kat stepped around Sam.

"Look, Jimmy, no one knows what you're going through better than me. These two are the best equipped to protect you from demons, and they might be able to teach you a few things as well. If you're not going to trust them, then trust me," she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. She locked eyes with the man, and was shocked to see the difference between Jimmy and Castiel. Jimmy's eyes, though the same color as Cas', shone with a different light. It was calmer, and tamer than Cas', but no less bright. Jimmy, in turn, noticed a fire in Kat's eyes that was very like Sarakiel's. It was just as strong and wild, but it was almost a different color. Jimmy just nodded.

Later that night, Kat saw Sam step out to get a drink. She walked out to get some air…and to wait for something that she knew was going to happen. Sure enough, a few minutes after Sam disappeared, Jimmy tried sneaking out.

"Going somewhere?" she asked when he was about halfway across the parking lot. Jimmy jumped, but fought the urge to cry out. He just looked down, fumbling with his trench coat.

"I…I need to see my family, Kat," he said, sounding almost pathetic. The pleading look on his face was replaced with surprise when Kat smiled.

"And who said I was stopping you?" she asked.

"You're…not going to tell Sam and Dean?" he asked after a moment.

"No, but I am going with you," she replied.

"What?"

"I'm going with you. Look, I can't stop you from seeing your family, so I might as well go along for the ride to protect you," Kat said, revealing her own packed bag, complete with demon-proofing and her own weapons. "Well, let's get going before they figure out what's going on."

Twenty minutes later, they were boarding a bus to Illinois. Kat took care of the tickets and when they were on the bus and on their way, Jimmy took a plunge.

"So…I have to ask…What really made you call out to the Angels?" he asked. Kat looked at him and Jimmy readied himself for the explosion, for him to get called self-righteous or a bible thumper.

"I was raised in the Catholic church until I left at 15," Kat began. "My parents, in their holier-than-thou rage, disowned me and kicked me out of the house. Only person who would take me in was my grandmother. Well, she wasn't really my grandmother, but she was the closest thing I had. She helped me, taught me everything that I know and then some, and passed peacefully when she was 93. She was cremated, and she planned a whole big trip for me. Sent me to England, scattered her ashes at Stonehenge. Also left me with enough to finish school abroad. When most of my gods disappeared about 8 years ago, so I called out for help from Heaven. Sara answered me, said that I was always meant to be her vessel. She was just waiting for me to ask." Jimmy sat in silence for about 20 minutes, pondering what the young witch next to him had just said.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"For what I said earlier," he answered, looking at her. "No one should be shoved away from family like that, least of all parents abandoning children."

"Well, it is what it is," Kat brushed it off. Jimmy could see a small flash of pain in her eyes. "The only family I've talked to since is my little brother, and even that's been a long time. The boys are my family."

"Do you want one?" Jimmy said. "A family?"

"In this line of work? You can't really have one," Kat answered. When Jimmy rolled his eyes, Kat pressed the assault. "Jimmy, everything that Sam said was true. Family can only be used against you in this line of work. The demons won't care that you don't remember anything about Cas. They will work until they can find everything about you: why Cas chose you, if you remember something after all, if Cas stored away any memories, all of it."

"Why haven't they come after you?"

"Who said they haven't? I just learned how to defend myself." Jimmy nodded his understanding. "So, what about you? I mean, I get that you're devout and everything, but why give yourself to the service of the Angels? I don't know if you've noticed, but some of them can be dicks."

"Ain't that the truth?" Jimmy chuckled. "I don't know. It seemed like a great idea at the time. I thought that, by serving God, I'd be doing my family a service as well. Of course, my wife thought I was crazy. She tried to have me take anti-psych meds."

"Ouch," Kat winced.

"I understand. She was just looking out for Claire. I don't know that she ever believed as much as I did, but I had to have faith. Castiel promised that my family would be protected if I said yes, so I didn't see the harm," he continued. "Where could he be?" he added quietly.

"Good question," Kat said. Then, she grinned. "And I know just who could tell us." Kat pulled out her cell phone and punched in a number she hadn't used in a while. After three rings, a voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Chuck, it's Kat," she said. "I'm here with…"

"Castiel's vessel, Jimmy. Yeah, I know," Chuck finished. Jimmy looked at the phone in awe.

"How did he know?"

"He's a prophet. Long story," Kat said, trying to keep it brief. "Well, if you know where I am, then you probably know what I'm going to ask."

"Castiel was dragged back to Heaven by the angels," Chuck said. "They basically took him back to…reeducate him."

"Reeducate? Why?" Kat asked.

"He had begun to show emotion. You of all people should know how bad that is, Kat," Chuck replied. Kat looked at Jimmy, worried.

"Angels are just supposed to be soldiers," Kat said quietly. "They're created to follow orders…nothing more."

"Right," Chuck said.

"Is he ever going to escape?"

"I don't know," Chuck sighed. "I'm not really supposed to be telling you any of this. The Angels are watching me," he added with a whisper.

"Yeah, they're probably watching me, too. Don't worry. Sara taught me a few things, as did Anna," Kat assured him. "Thank you, Chuck."

"Sure thing," Chuck said. "Be careful, Kat." They hung up, and Kat studied Jimmy's face. He seemed nervous.

"I'm sure he's okay," Kat tried to reassure him.

"Even you don't believe that," Jimmy smirked.

"Yeah...you're right," Kat muttered.

As they got closer to their destination, Kat started to help Jimmy get his story straight.

"So, what are you going to tell your wife?" she asked him.

"I was going to tell her I was in a psych ward for the last year," Jimmy said, shrugging. "It seemed like a logical story, and it kind of fit what Ams wanted me to do in the first place."

"Okay. In that case, we met at the psych ward," Kat said. "We were released the same day, I'm from the next town over, and I wanted to make sure that you got home okay."

"You think she'll buy it?"

"I've convinced people that I'm a federal agent for about a year, now," Kat pointed out. "I'm good."

They arrived at the bus station about a half an hour outside of Pontiac. Jimmy insisted on getting the ride since Kat paid for them to get there.

"All this time, and Cas never lost your wallet," Kat commented.

"I know, right?" Jimmy chuckled as the climbed in to the taxi. During the drive, Kat could tell that Jimmy was nervous beyond all belief, but there was also a sense of relief that he was going home.

"You okay?"

"It's been a year," Jimmy replied quietly. "Does Claire even remember me? What will Amelia think?" Kat took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's gonna be all right. Deep down, she still loves you," Kat assured him. He nodded, but Kat could tell that he still wasn't so sure.

As they walked up to the house, Jimmy paused at the stairs. He could see Claire inside, sitting at the dining room table, working on her homework. She called over her shoulder, and her mother came, leaned over, and helped her with whatever she was working on. Kat smiled at the scene. Taking a deep breath, he walked up the stairs and rang the doorbell. Kat shifted her backpack on her shoulders and set a pleasant smile on her face. Amelia opened the door, and was dumbstruck at the sight of her husband and a strange woman on her porch. She focused, however, on Jimmy.

"We, uh – we stopped looking for you," she said after a moment of stunned silence.

"I'm so sorry," Jimmy said.

"You were dead," Amelia continued. "We, uh – we thought you were dead."

"I'm okay," he assured her. Kat could tell that she wasn't so sure. Then, Amelia turned her attention to Kat.

"And you are?"

"This is Kat," Jimmy said, ushering his friend forward. "We were in group together, and she lived across the hall from me."

"Hi, it's really nice to meet you," Kat said, shifting her duffel bag from one hand to the other and offering the empty hand to Amelia. Amelia shook it, though the shake was hesitant. "I was hoping to meet you. Jimmy never stopped talking about you and your daughter."

"He didn't?"

"Nope," Kat replied. "He kept saying how he had wronged you, and that was why he was in the clinic…to set things right." Amelia searched Kat's face, and then quietly invited them both in.

There was a patter of feet coming down the stairs as the three of them sat in the den.

"Claire, room. Now," Amelia ordered her daughter. Claire obeyed without a word.

"Can I see her?" Jimmy asked his wife.

"No," Amelia said, a little too quickly. "No. I don't know yet," she continued. "It's been almost a year, you know?"

"I know, I know," Jimmy nodded. Kat could almost feel the disappointment in his voice.

"Yeah, think your daughter would have wanted to know you were okay?"

"I was in a psych clinic," Jimmy said. "I just wanted to get myself straight before seeing you.

"And…no telephones, or -?"

"Communicating with family members was discouraged," Kat interjected. "It was a way for us to learn how to deal with the problems we had on our own, so that the support of family would only make this better, and make us stronger."

"What were you there for?" Amelia asked, a note of venom in her voice.

"Severe depression, suicidal tendencies," Kat answered without pausing. "My parents abandoned me when I was a teen, and I was homeless for a while. I'd been there about 4 years before Jimmy got there."

"Why come all the way here?"

"I'm from the next town over. Jimmy and I became really good friends, and I wanted to make sure that he got home okay." Kat kept her tone even and her face even more so. Amelia was trying to find holes where there were none, and Kat had mastered the art of deception.

"I was…confused, Amelia," Jimmy said, taking the pressure off Kat. "I was completely delusional. And I thought – I thought God was calling me to something and I thought that was important, and I was wrong." Kat watched him deliver his speech. What surprised her the most was that he believed every single word. Cas had taken this guy through hell and back. The first time they met, Dean stabbed him (one of the many stories that Jimmy had shared with her on the bus ride to Illinois). Now, he had lost faith. "I was such an idiot. Heaven, hell…none of that matters. The only thing that's important to me is you and Claire. And I…I can't undo what I've done, but I just wanna come home again." Kat looked at Amelia, waiting for her response with bated breath.

"I don't know if I can do that," she said quietly. "Not yet."

"I mean, whatever you're comfortable with," Jimmy replied, disappointment all over his face again. "Maybe we could start with something smaller?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know…dinner?"

Amelia whipped something up in the kitchen while Kat stepped outside to make a call. She opened her phone to multiple missed calls from Sam and Dean. Bracing herself, she called Dean.

"Where the hell are you?" he snapped in lieu of hello.

"Miss you too, babe," Kat said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Where's Jimmy?"

"Same place I am," Kat replied. "Pontiac, Illinois with his family."

"Kat, you knew that was dangerous," Sam said from somewhere next to Dean. Kat could hear the roar of Baby's engine, so she could only guess that they were on their way.

"I can sympathize with him, Sam," Kat fought back. "That's why I went with him. I'm his protection."

"And what if something happens to you?" a female voice said in the background. Kat frowned as she recognized the voice.

"Anna?"

"Yep, it's me," Anna replied. "Does Jimmy remember what Cas was going to tell Dean?"

"No, he doesn't," Kat said.

"We're on our way," Dean said. "Don't go anywhere," he added, the command in his voice strong.

"Okay," Kat replied, and hung up. When she walked back in the house, Jimmy was standing there, waiting for her.

"Who was that?"

"My ride," Kat answered, giving Jimmy a look. He nodded, knowing who her ride most likely was. "They'll be here shortly. Is it okay if I wait here for them?"

"Of course," Amelia said, still wary, but playing the gracious hostess.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." A little while later, Kat finally met Claire when she came downstairs at her mother's call.

"Hi, Daddy," she said, embracing her father.

"Hi, baby," he replied, hugging her back, joy written all over his face. "Claire, this is Kat. She's a friend of mine."

"Nice to meet you," Claire said, holding out her hand, which Kat graciously accepted.

"Nice to finally meet you, Claire," Kat said. "Your Dad has told me a lot about you." Amelia bustled in to the dining room with a platter of sandwiches.

"Okay, so we have turkey and roast beef. Better be okay. It's all we have," she said, putting the platter on the table.

"Oh, it's fine," Jimmy said. "It's more than fine." Kat could see the joy just growing on his face. "Should we sit?" At that cue, everyone sat down. Kat stayed behind, unsure of what to do. "Kat, would you like to join us?" Amelia asked.

"I wouldn't want to impose," Kat began.

"Come sit by me!" Claire called, patting the seat next to her. Kat looked at Claire's parents, who both nodded, and took the seat offered to her. Jimmy reached for a sandwich.

"Daddy, aren't you going to say grace?" Claire asked.

"No, honey," Jimmy said, sounding relieved. "I don't think I am." Tears started welling in his eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Claire asked.

"Because I'm happy," Jimmy answered. Kat looked down, a small smile on his face. The doorbell rang as Jimmy dug in. Amelia got up to answer the door.

"Why were you in the clinic, Kat?" Claire asked.

"Claire, I don't think she wants to…"

"It's okay, Jimmy," Kat said, assuring him. "I was there because I was sad, and I was having trouble finding my way out of that sadness. I had lost my family, and I had nowhere to go. Your Dad helped me find my way out of the darkness, and I helped him in return." It was then that Kat became aware of voices near the door.

"Am I crazy, or did I just see your husband wander in here about half an hour ago?" a tall man was saying. Jimmy got up from the table.

"Yeah, uh, you did," Amelia said. "But, Roger, this isn't a good time." Jimmy's entrance proved her wrong.

"Hey, there he is!" Roger said, hugging Jimmy. "Son of a bitch. What the hell happened to you?"

"Ah, long story," Jimmy said. "But, it's over."

"Yeah?"

"I'm good," Jimmy assured him.

"Can I talk to you?" Roger asked.

"Can I get you a beer?" Amelia offered.

"That'd be good, thanks," Roger accepted. Amelia went to get the beer while Jimmy and Roger went to speak in private. Claire and Kat sat, eating quietly, but Kat kept an ear on the conversation. It seemed normal until one sentence sent her bolting for her bag.

"Well, I mean, I'm gonna gut your daughter while you watch," Roger said. A shiver went down Kat's spine as she bolted for her duffel bag.

"Kat!" Jimmy screamed. Kat heard Roger grunt in pain as she returned to the room, holy water and her gun in hand.

"What are you doing? Jimmy, stop!" Amelia was shrieking.

"He's a demon!" Jimmy shouted to his wife. "Run!"

"Stop it!"

"Run!"

"The pantry," Kat instructed, ushering Claire that way while keeping her gun trained on the demon. Jimmy took his wife and daughter, and went in to the pantry. Roger, or the demon possessing Roger, got up.

"The Winchester's little bitch," he snarled.

"Little witch, thank you very much, you hell-bound piece of crap," Kat spat back. She threw holy water at the same time that the pantry door opened, and Kat heard Amelia telling Claire to run. Roger was gone and back in a flash, holding a knife to Claire's throat.

"Damn it," Jimmy cursed.

"Hey pal," Roger smirked. "Told you I'd gut the bitch."

"Roger," Amelia said, shocked.

"Let the girl go," Kat ordered, her gun trained on Roger.

"Jimmy, why does she have a gun?" Kat heard Amelia ask. Kat ignored her, focusing on the task at hand.

"Now me, I would," Roger taunted. "But the missus, she has other ideas." A woman entered, who Kat only could assume was Roger's wife. She, too, was possessed.

"No!" Amelia screamed.

"Daddy!" Claire screamed. Roger's wife grabbed Jimmy and threw him to the ground, punching him in the face before meeting Amelia's eyes with her own solid black ones.

"Oh my God, no!" Amelia cried. She jumped to defend her husband, but was thrown off handily. Dean suddenly appeared behind Roger and slit his throat with Ruby's knife. Sam came in and stopped Roger's wife, preparing to exorcise her.

"Get them out of here," Sam shouted to Kat and Dean.

"Go, go," Dean urged, getting Jimmy, Claire, and Kat out the door. Shortly after, the brothers ran out of the house, meeting the other three by the Impala.

"Thank god," Jimmy said at the sight of the two.

"Where's your wife?" Dean asked Jimmy.

"Right here," Amelia said, appearing from the back of the house with a jacket on and one in her hand for Jimmy and Claire.

"Let's go," Dean ordered. They all jumped in the impala and peeled out of the driveway.

At a parking garage several miles away, Claire and Amelia were sitting in the back seat of the Impala, while Dean, Sam, Kat, and Jimmy, all stood outside.

"You were right," Jimmy admitted to the brothers.

"I'm sorry we were," Dean replied.

"I'm telling you, I don't know anything," Jimmy insisted.

"I don't think they're inclined to believe you," Dean said.

"And even if they did, you're a vessel," Sam pointed out, reiterating what Kat had told him the previous day. "They're still gonna wanna know what makes you tick."

"Which means vivisection, if they're feeling generous," Dean added. Kat would have scoffed, but knowing where Dean had been, she was more than inclined to believe him.

"I'm gonna tell you once again, you're putting your family in danger," Sam said, moving closer to Jimmy. "You have to come with us."

"How long?" Jimmy fired back. "And don't give me that 'cross that bridge when we get to it' crap." By now, Kat had had enough too.

"Don't you get it?" she snapped. "Forever." When the men around her were silent, she continued. "The demons will never stop."

"You can never be with your family," Sam interjected, furious. "So, you either get as far away from them as possible, or you put a bullet in your head. And that's how you keep your family safe. But there's no getting out and there's no going home." It was Kat's turn to be silent. She was shocked at the tone in Sam's voice. It was harsh.

"Well, don't surgarcoat it, Sam," Dean said, shocked at the tone in his brother's voice as well.

"I'm just telling him the truth," Sam replied. "Someone has to." Sam went to boost Amelia and Claire a car while Jimmy went to say goodbye. Kat let them have their family moment before joining him.

"These boys are gonna get you a car, don't ask me how, and you're gonna take Claire to Carl and Sally's a s fast as you can," Jimmy was instructing his wife.

"Wait," Amelia stopped him. "What about you? No, I'm not going anywhere without you, Jimmy."

"Listen to me," Jimmy said, looking Amelia square in the eyes. "Every moment I'm with you, you and Claire are in danger."

"I don't care," Amelia protested. "We are not splitting up again."

"Mrs. Novak, you don't have a choice," Kat said. Amelia jumped slightly at the sound of the young witch's voice. "I suppose I owe you a thank you," she said. "For bringing Jimmy home and trying to save my daughter."

"It's my job," Kat said.

"For how long?" Amelia asked Jimmy. Jimmy looked at Kat, and then back at his wife.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Kat walked away to give them some more privacy. Sam found and hotwired a car for Amelia and Claire.

"Okay, so…uh…here's your car," he said, somewhat awkwardly.

"Hey," Jimmy said, looking at his daughter. "Take care of your mom, okay, bub?"

"Okay," she said. Jimmy climbed in to the back seat of the Impala with Kat, Sam and Dean climbed in the front, and the four of them took off.

It was raining. Jimmy had fallen asleep next to her, and Kat had plugged her headphones in to her computer and was catching up on some work. Every so often, on her blog, she would write a thought piece. Nothing about travel or anything like that. Instead, she started writing about the importance of family, and how in the end, they are all you have. Losing them is enough to drive people to madness. Love your family, no matter what, she wrote as Xandrias "Voyage of the Fallen" blared in her ears. Through the symphonic rock music, she could hear Sam and Dean arguing. From what she was able to catch, Sam had not been able to exorcise the demon back at the Novak's house. They argued for a few minutes before Sam answered his phone. Kat took out her headphones to listen.

"Hello?" Sam answered. After a small pause, "Who is this?" There was an answer, and then Sam reached over the back of the seat, handing the phone to Jimmy. "Hey," Sam called, waking him up. "It's your wife." Jimmy took the phone from Sam, adjusting himself with a sleepy grunt.

"Amelia?" he said. Suddenly, he paled. "Oh my God."

Amelia had been possessed by the demon Sam had failed to exorcise. The four of them stood outside of a warehouse where the demon was keeping Claire. The three hunters were gearing up with weapons as Jimmy watched.

"Alright, they're expecting you to come alone," Dean told Jimmy. "That's exactly what you're gonna do."

"We'll work our way through the catwalks," Sam continued. "We'll be right behind you."

"All you gotta do is stay calm and stall," Kat finished. "Let us do our job."

"You want me to stay calm?" Jimmy scoffed. "This is my family we're talking about."

"Listen to me," Dean said, trying to calm him. "This will work. You understand? Nobody's gonna get hurt."

"Yeah, whatever," Jimmy said. He looked at the warehouse, and then back at the three. "Give me a minute, okay?" He walked away from the hunters, toward a secluded area of the warehouse. Kat looked at Dean, who just shrugged and continued loading his shotgun. Kat followed Jimmy and found him screaming at the sky.

"Castiel, you son of a bitch!" he was shouting. "You promised me my family would be okay! You promised you were gonna take care of them! I gave you everything you asked me to give. I gave you more. This is the thanks I get?! This is what you do? This is your heaven? Help me, please! You promised, Cas! Just help me." After a second, Kat stepped from the shadows.

"Feel better?" she asked, making him jump.

"Jesus," he sighed. "Don't do that."

"Sorry," Kat said, walking toward him. "Jimmy, shouting at Cas isn't going to help matters. He was dragged back to heaven to be reeducated." When she said that, Jimmy was surprised. "Jimmy, angels are soldiers. That's it. Cas hasn't been able to protect your family because he can't do anything." Jimmy sighed.

"He still promised," he said quietly, and walked back toward the boys. Kat watched him go, and then looked up at the sky.

"You did promise, Cas," she whispered, and followed Jimmy.

Sam, Dean, and Kat didn't get very far. They were waiting for them, and dragged them in to the room where Jimmy was talking to the demon. Claire was unconscious, tied to a chair, and Jimmy looked lost.

"Got the knife?" Amelia's demon asked one of the henchmen holding Sam. He held up the knife to show her. "And you know what's funny?"

"You're wearing a soccer mom?" Dean quipped.

"I was actually bummed to get this detail, picking up an empty vessel. Sort of like a milk run. Now look who landed in my lap."

"Yeah, well, you got us, okay?" Sam said. "Let these people go."

"Oh Sam," Amelia chided. "It's easy to act chivalrous when your Wonder Girl powers aren't working huh? Now for the punch line." She turned to Jimmy. "Everyone dies." She held up a gun and shot Jimmy in the stomach. Kat screamed as he fell to his knees. Amelia just laughed. "Waste little orphan Annie," she instructed one of the other demons. She started struggling as hard as she could.

"I'm gonna enjoy sending you back to hell, you bitch!" she screamed. Amelia was about to respond, when the demon she sent to kill Claire screamed in agony. Everyone turned and saw Claire exorcising the demon. Sam and Dean took advantage of the distraction while Kat just looked on. Claire burned the ropes holding her and stood up. Jimmy, who was lying on the ground, looked up at her, a look of horror on his face.

"Castiel," he choked out.

Dean and Sam struggled with their demons and Kat managed to get rid of hers. When they all turned to look at Sam, his mouth was covered in blood, and Dean had a horrified look on his face. Choosing to move on, Sam stood and exorcised the demon possessing Amelia. Dean went to her while Kat and Claire, now Cas, went to Jimmy.

"Of course we keep our promises," Castiel said to Jimmy. "Of course you have our gratitude." He had heard every word Jimmy had said. "You served us well. Your work is done. It's time to go home now. Your real home. You'll rest forever in the fields of the Lord. Rest now, Jimmy." Kat looked at Castiel, trying not to think about what he had said to the poor girl.

"No," Jimmy said, his mouth beginning to fill with blood. "Claire?"

"She's with me, now," Castiel said. "She's chosen. It's in her blood, as it was in yours."

"Cas," Kat said, unable to interpret her feelings. While she was glad that Cas was back, it was weird hearing his voice come from an eleven-year-old girl.

"Please, Castiel," Jimmy said, using all of his strength. "Me, just take me. Take me, please."

"Castiel, you can't put Claire through this," Kat said. Cas looked at her, a blank look meeting Kat's serious one. "Jimmy knows the risks. This is not the life for a young girl who has her whole life ahead of her. Jimmy wants to take her place. You should let him."

"I want to make sure you understand," Castiel said, turning back to Jimmy. "You won't die or age. If this last year was painful for you, picture a hundred, a thousand more like it."

"It doesn't matter," Jimmy replied, speech becoming harder for him. "You take me. Just take me!"

"As you wish," Cas said, and placed a hand on Jimmy's forehead. There was a blinding light as the angel switched bodies from the young girl to her father. When the transfer was complete, Claire let out a heavy sigh, heaving for breath. Jimmy, now Cas, stood up and walked away from the girl. Amelia, demon free, ran to Claire to check on her. Amelia and Cas locked eyes for a minute before he started walking away.

"Cas, hold up," Dean said, stopping him. "What were you gonna tell me?"

"I learned my lesson while I was away, Dean," Cas replied. "I serve heaven, I don't serve man, and I certainly don't serve you." He turned and walked away without another word as Sam, Dean, and Kat looked on, stunned.

Kat was tired, and fell asleep almost immediately in the backseat. During that time, she had a dream.

She was back in her glen, but she wasn't at peace. Someone was there with her. She turned and saw the trenchcoat-clad angel standing there.

"Cas?"

"I at least wanted to come and say goodbye," he said. Instantly, the chairs and table Kat had put there appeared. Kat looked at Castiel.

"Angels have as much control over dreams as you do, if you let them," he pointed out and sat, motioning for her to do the same. Kat sat down, but kept her eyes locked on the blue-eyed angel in front of her.

"Cas, what the hell was that back there?" she demanded. "You convinced a little girl to be your vessel, and you were going to keep her like that?"

"She agreed to it," Cas began.

"To save her parents, I'm sure," Kat cut in. "Cas, don't bother trying to explain to me how to be a vessel. What you should be doing is explaining what happened. We were all worried sick."

"My superiors believed that I was becoming emotional. They felt I was getting too close to the humans in my care. They reminded me what an Angel is supposed to do," Cas explained, choosing to ignore Kat's outburst. "I wanted you to know that Sarakiel is safe, and that she will be released when everything is finished. You don't have to worry about her anymore."

"Not worry? Cas, all I'm going to do is worry until she's free!"

"Well, don't," Cas said simply. When Kat scoffed, he stood up and walked over to her. "Thank you for being kind to me, Katherine," he said, taking both of her hands in his. Kat didn't miss the change back to her full name. She stood up and looked him square in the eye.

"Thank you for giving me a purpose again," she replied.

"A purpose?"

"The Cas that Sara knew is gone," Kat said. "I'm not going to rest until I get him back. Until then, be well…Castiel." With a snap of her fingers, she woke up. There was a slight vibrating in her front pants pocket. She pulled out her cell phone and found a few texts from Bobby. Reading them, she realized that they weren't out of the woods yet.

They were at Bobby's house in record time. The four of them walked toward the panic room Bobby had built in his basement. The walls were iron, coated in salt. A devil's trap was on the floor in front of the door, as well as one in the grate that covered the fan on the ceiling. There was a small armory, as well as provisions, a desk with a small library, bullet forge, and a bed. However, everything had been removed, and the cot had been placed at the center of the devil's trap painted on the floor. A small table with a water pitcher and glass on it was against the far wall, and a small mirror above the table. Sam went in first, with Dean, Bobby, and Kat hanging back.

"All right, so what's the big demon problem?" Sam asked, looking around the panic room.

"You are," Bobby said. Sam turned and looked at the three of them, confused and scared. "This is for your own good." Bobby shut the large iron door and locked it. Sam ran to the barred window, calling out to them. Bobby shut the grate on the window as Sam's cries became louder and more frantic. Kat bit her lower lip as she watched the door, Sam's voice grating on her nerves. Dean wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They looked at each other, and with a last look at the door, Dean took Kat upstairs, with Bobby close behind.

It was going to be a long week.


	11. Detoxxx (Lemon Warning)

Oh, BTW…Lemon warning!

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 21: When the Levee Breaks.

Dean was downstairs talking to Sam. Kat was nose deep in books, trying to find some way to help Sam.

"You're wasting your time, kiddo," Bobby said, handing her a beer.

"Not in my book," Kat replied, taking the beer and cracking it open.

"I thought you and Dean were a thing," the older hunter commented as he cracked open a beer of his own.

"We are," Kat said, not looking at him. "But this is hurting Dean as much as it's hurting Sam. And it's hurting me, too. I love Dean, Bobby, but Sam is like a brother to me. If I can help Sam, it'll make them both feel better." Bobby just sighed and let her go back to work. Dean came upstairs a short while later, trying to ignore the sound of Sam screaming at him. Kat handed him her beer as she worked. Suddenly, an idea popped in to her head.

"I need to make a phone call," she said, and ran outside, dialing on her cell as she did. Dean followed hr outside, standing on the porch as she walked down to the drive. After two rings, someone answered.

"Hello?" an older female voice said.

"Mother Ariadne?" Kat said. A happy sigh came over the line.

"Gilda, my dear," she said. "How are you?" Mother Ariadne was her mentor and teacher. When her grandmother had passed away, Ariadne had taken the responsibility of completing her training as a witch. Her coven, Children of the Blessed Mother, was widely respected, and was the oldest coven still in existence. When Kat had become a vessel, her circle name had not been chosen. With Sara present, Kat had taken the name Gilda, which means servant of God. Some of the other members of the coven were against it, but they conceded when Ariadne pointed out it was Kat's choice, and her choice alone.

"I wish I was doing well, mother. I'm in a little bit of a bind," Kat replied.

"How can I help?"

"Do you remember the book you had on Enochian symbols and spells?" There was silence at the other end of the line. "Mother?"

"You are dealing with Angels, Gilda?" Ariadne's voice was serious.

"Yes, mother," Kat replied. "They are planning something foul, and they've harmed a friend of mine…one of their own."

"You mean the Archangel who gave you your name?"

"Yes."

"Why do you wish to know?"

"Because I believe I can help her, and another friend, at the same time," Kat said. "Can you please send me a copy of the book?"

"Of course, child," Ariadne replied. There was some typing on the other end that made Kat grin. For all of the ancient knowledge that this woman knew, she was still technologically savvy. "There you are, dear. There is a copy in your inbox."

"Thank you, Mother," Kat said.

"Child, be careful. You know what dealing with Angels often means," Ariadne warned her.

"I will, Mother. Blessed be," Kat promised.

"Blessed be, Gilda," Ariadne replied. Kat ended the call and turned to face Dean.

"Gilda?" he asked, confused.

"My circle name," Kat answered, walking past him and to her laptop. Sure enough, there it was: a pdf copy of an old spell book with Enochian symbols and spells. Dean and Bobby looked over her shoulder, reading what she was looking at. Only thing was…it was all in Enochian.

"You can read this?" Bobby asked.

"I've been Sara's vessel for a while now," Kat pointed out, still scrolling. "You think I was dumb enough not to poke around whenever she was here?" Dean and Bobby looked at each other, impressed. A few minutes finally got her to a section on summoning an angel, and within that, summoning an Archangel. Kat read a few spells before stopping on the oldest one she could find. "Here," she said, pointing to it. "This one is ancient, even the dialect is different."

"And that's good?" Dean asked.

"Enochian is a language as old as the angels themselves," Kat said. "But, like English, it's evolved over the years. This dialect is from Biblical times, so we're not getting much older than that."

"The older the spell," Bobby began, following her thought process.

"The more potent it is," Kat finished. "Old magick is powerful, so why should this be any different?" Just then, Sam started screaming again, this time in immense pain.

"How long is this gonna go on?" Dean asked.

"Here, let me look it up in my demon-detox manual," Bobby drawled. "Oh wait…no one ever wrote one. No telling how long it'll take. Hell, or if Sam will even live through it." Just then, Bobby's phone rang. He answered it.

"Hello?" he said, followed by a sigh. "Suck dirt and die, Rufus. You call me again, I'll kill you." Bobby hung up the phone. Dean and Kat both looked at him.

"What's up with Rufus?" Dean asked.

"He knows," Bobby replied, brushing it off. The phone rang again, and Bobby answered it, getting angry.

"I'm busy, you son of a bitch. This better be important," he said. There was a silence, and Bobby's face paled as Rufus said something to him. He hung up the phone and started pulling and printing news articles.

"Bobby, what's going on?" Kat asked, abandoning her laptop for now.

"The news," he replied. "And the news ain't good."

"This is what Rufus called about? 'Key West sees ten species go extinct'?" Dean asked.

"Yep," Bobby said. "Plus Alaska. Fifteen-man fishing crew all stricken blind, cause unknown."

"New York, teacher goes postal, locks the door, kills exactly 66 kids," Kat read from another one.

"All this in a single day," Bobby continued. "I looked them up. There's no doubt about it: they're all seals. Breaking. Fast."

"How many are left?" Dean asked.

"Who knows?" Bobby said. "Can't be many. Where the hell are your angel pals?"

"You tell me," Dean scoffed. There was silence for a minute, and Kat took the opportunity to go into the next room and read up on the spell she was going to perform.

The chant was very simple, and easy to read. But the details gave Kat a little bit of pause. It required sacrifice…great sacrifice. While this didn't shock her, since a lot of old spells required blood (dark days that no one really talked about), but it made her worry about Dean. She would, essentially, have to give herself up entirely, body and soul, in order to summon Sara. She looked in to Bobby's office as he worked, and toward the junk yard where she knew Dean was.

"This is for them," she said quietly to herself. "This is for the World…and this is for Sara."

The next morning, Dean explained what he had done in the junkyard the night before. Sam could be heard calling from the basement, though they had all become completely numb to it.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Bobby was saying. "But, you willingly signed up to be the angels' bitch?" Dean gave him a look. "I'm sorry, you prefer sucker? After everything you said about them, now you trust them?"

"Come on, give me a little credit, Bobby," Dean said. "I've never trusted them less. I mean, they come on like shady politicians from planet Vulcan." Kat would have laughed if this weren't so serious.

"Then why in the hell did you…?"

"Because what other option do I have?" Dean explained. "It's either trust the angels or let Sammy trust a demon?" Kat and Bobby both nodded.

"I see your point," Bobby said. Suddenly, a deafening silence went over the whole house. Dean looked behind himself slightly.

"You hear that?" he asked the other two.

"Yeah, that's a little too much nothing," Bobby said. The three of them ran downstairs to the panic room. Bobby opened the window grate and he and Dean looked inside. Sam was lying on the floor, having a seizure.

"What if he's faking?" Dean said.

"You really think he would?" Bobby asked. Kat was about to say something when Sam was slammed against the wall.

"That ain't faking," Bobby said. They threw open the door, and Bobby and Dean wrestled Sam to the floor and pinned him down. "We're gonna have to tie him down for his own safety," Bobby said. Kat went for his legs to keep him from kicking the other two in the back of the head. "Dean?" Bobby called. "You with me? Dean!" Dean snapped out of whatever trance he was in and looked at Bobby. "Before he has another fit!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with." The three of them managed to chain Sam down to the cot at the center of the room. Dean stayed downstairs to talk with Sam while Bobby and Kat went back upstairs. Saying she needed some air, she went out to a secluded part of the salvage yard and started praying for Cas.

"Hello, Katherine," Cas said following the familiar sound of angel wings. Kat turned and looked at him.

"Hi Cas," Kat replied.

"I hope you're not going to ask me about Sam," he said, walking toward her.

"No, I actually need something from you," Kat said, moving toward him in turn. Cas tilted his head slightly, his eyes searching hers. "Don't bother reading my mind, Cas. You won't find anything," Kat pointed out.

"Then what do you want?" he asked, sounding a little annoyed and looking away from her.

"I found a way to release Sara," she said. Cas' eyes snapped back to hers, and Kat swore that she saw a flicker of the old Cas, the one that Sara had come to love, the one that Dean and Sam had come to trust.

"You have? How?" he asked. Kat reached in her pocket and pulled out the sheet of paper she had printed the spell on. She kept it in Enochian in case Bobby or Dean tried to read it and stop her. Cas took the paper from her and read it. His eyes grew wide as he looked back at the young witch. "This is…"

"Old, I know, and very powerful," Kat said.

"Where did you find this?"

"An old spell book given to me by my mentor," Kat answered.

"Katherine, you know what this entails," Cas pointed out, handing the paper back to her.

"I do, and that's why I need your help." Cas searched her eyes again, but Kat felt no probe in to her mind.

Castiel saw fire in the young woman's eyes. It was purple, but no less bright than the fire that burned in Sarakiel's eyes. The thought of seeing her again filled him with joy, a joy he had not felt in quite some time. Kat's eyes sparkled with determination, and a solid resolve. She was willing to go this far for an Archangel, someone who only used her as a vessel.

"Why are you going to do this?" he asked, giving voice to his curiosity.

"Because Sara is my friend," Kat replied. "Because Sam is like a brother to me, because I love Dean and hate seeing him suffer, because Sara is gonna want the old Cas back, because I want the old Cas back, take your pick. The point is, I need you to help me when the time comes."

"What do you need me to do?"

"You've read the spell…I think you know," Kat said grimly. Cas looked away and meandered a few steps.

"Dean will not be happy about this," he pointed out. "Have you told him?"

"About the spell? Yes. About what it requires? No, and I don't plan to," she answered. Kat walked over to Cas and put a hand on his arm.

"Cas, please. I need your help." Cas locked gazes with her one more time, and very reluctantly, he nodded. Kat accepted his answer with a nod. "I'm going to bind myself to Dean. When Zachariah comes for him, I'll be there. When he does what he will inevitably do, listen to him. Obey. It will keep you safe, and let Sara out in the process." Cas nodded again and began to walk away, but was stopped by Kat tugging his arm gently. "One more thing. When you see Sara, give her this from me." She stood on her toes and gently kissed Cas on the cheek. Cas looked at her once more, and then vanished. Kat sighed, and went back inside to tie up some loose ends.

Kat walked back in to her room to find Dean sitting there. He had an empty beer bottle in his hand, and he looked lost.

"Hey," she said, sitting next to the bed. "You okay?"

"Cas isn't going to help me," Dean said quietly. "He's not going to help Sam either. It's almost like he's…"

"Not Cas anymore?"

"Pretty much." Kat gently turned Dean's face to look at hers.

"Dean…everything is going to be okay," Kat said.

"You don't know that," Dean said.

"Okay, you're right, I don't" she conceded. "But, I know one thing."

"What?"

"If the world is ending, then I want to spend it with the man that I love." With that, she pulled Dean into a kiss. He sat there for a few seconds before returning the gesture, turning himself to wrap his arms around her and pull her close. The makeout session quickly got frisky as Kat pushed Dean down on to her bed and straddled him. Both were breathing heavily as Kat peeled off the sweatshirt she had been wearing. A black tank top covered her torso. Dean slid his hands underneath the hem and caressed the skin of her lower back and abdomen. In turn, Kat slid her hands underneath his shirt and massaged the toned skin underneath. Dean moaned softly as Kat leaned down to kiss him again, continuing her ministrations and grinding against him until he pushed her away and practically tore his shirt off. Kat felt her heart begin to race. Her right hand traveled to the anti-possession tattoo over his heart, gently tracing it. Dean traced hers as well, his callused hands softly touching the tattoo over her left breast. Suddenly, his hands slid down and pulled her tank top over her head. With both of them shirtless, Dean grabbed Kat's shoulders and flipped them both over. He leaned over her, kissing her fiercely. Both were moaning as Dean reached behind her and unhooked her bra with practiced ease, Kat arching her back to give him better access. He didn't even break the kiss as he pulled it from her body and tossed it across the room. Kat broke the kiss long enough to mutter a spell that closed and locked the door, and another to sound proof the room.

"Dean," she breathed, looking back at him. Dean's eyes clouded over with lust. His caresses became a little rougher as he captured her mouth again. He began massaging her breasts, causing Kat to moan into the hungry kiss.

"Kat," Dean whispered as he felt her beneath him. He began to suck on her left breast, his hands roaming the rest of her body. Kat moaned as he sucked hard enough to leave a mark. He did this a few more times on different places, and on the right breast, his hands never stopping. It was almost as if he was memorizing every curve of her body, not wanting to forget an inch. The whole time, Kat never stopped moaning at the feeling, her own hands mimicking his. She felt every muscle, every scar, every inch of his torso, her hands eventually finding their way into his sandy blonde hair. As she gripped his hair lightly, he gave a growl, lightly biting the skin in his mouth. Kat cried out, more in pleasure than in pain. Dean raised his head and allowed himself to be pulled in to a hungry kiss.

"Dean, please," Kat begged. A smirk blossomed on Dean's face. He slowly traveled down her body, pulling her pants and underwear down. Once they were discarded, Dean began exploring her lower half, lavishing the milky-white skin with attention that Kat loved. A trail of kisses started at her calf, worked its way up her thighs, and ghosted over her core on the way down the other side. When Dean's warm breath caressed her core, she let out a moan of longing. Dean gave a satisfied hum before finishing his journey and returning to the middle. Kat locked eyes with him, and Dean smirked again at the look of wanton lust in her eyes before he began lavishing her core with attention. The cry that tore from her lips only spurred him on, as did the grip she found in his hair once again. He lightly skimmed the sensitive flesh with his teeth, causing Kat to give an animalistic growl that sounded vaguely like his name. He hummed slightly, only causing her to cry out louder, and her hips to buck. She squirmed and writhed in pleasure, held only in place by the light grip he had on her left leg. His right hand joined his mouth and Kat saw white. Her eyes flew open and her back arched off the bed. "Dean, oh gods, Dean…Dean, I'm gonna…!" She could barely get the sentence out. When he didn't stop, her climax came crashing down on her, unbidden. Her whole body twitched with the pulses of her orgasm as Dean kept up his ministrations throughout. When he finally stopped, Kat fell limply to the bed. Dean crawled up over her body until he was face to face with her.

"You taste so good, babe," he purred, kissing her. The kiss, mixing his tongue with the taste of herself, reinvigorated Kat faster than she expected. In one swift movement, Kat maneuvered Dean on to his back on the bed, and slowly pulled his pants and boxers off. She couldn't help but marvel at him. He was as impressive below as he was above. Gently, she began to stroke him, keeping her touch light and teasing. Every so often she would lightly lick him, her tongue barely touching his tip. Every time she did, he moaned, his hands fisting into the sheets. Kat then began to give attention to everywhere else but where her hand was. Her tongue left wet trails all around him, causing him to tense up. When she stole a glance up, Dean had a fist in his mouth, stifling his moans.

"Don't hold back, Dean," Kat crooned. "No one can hear us. I want to hear you enjoying this." She then took him completely in to her mouth, her core throbbing at the noise that emitted from his mouth. Kat moaned herself, her hand and mouth working in perfect sync with each other. Dean mimicked her motions, his hands fisting in to her hair, pushing her down further. She took it well, humming to add vibrations. She then began to pick up speed, relishing in the way her name tore from his lips. It was prolonged and needy, his grip tightening on her hair. On a whim, she lightly scraped him with her teeth, the lightest touch. A throaty gasp rewarded with motion. Kat looked up and saw Dean's eyes wide, his pupils dilated.

"Don't stop," Dean half ordered, half begged. Kat responded by going even faster. She could feel him getting ready to release, and when he did, a strangled cry ripped from his throat as he emptied himself inside of her mouth. Kat hummed her satisfaction, loving the warm, salty taste. When he finished, she found herself pulled back on the bed, hands pinned above her head. Dean attacked her neck, nipping at the sensitive flesh. Kat was amazed at how quickly he recovered, his hardened length rubbing against her inner thigh as he began to grind against her. "I need you, Kat," he growled into her neck. "I want you."

"Then take me, Dean," Kat replied, her voice rising in pitch as he nipped a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. He abruptly got up and moved to a drawer across the room. Kat watched as he pulled something from the drawer, a tell-tale foil tearing sound alerting her to what it was. The thought of what was coming caused her to subconsciously begin to pleasure herself. When Dean turned around and saw this, he grinned and gently grabbed her wrist. He pinned her hands back above her head, holding them together with one hand as the other aligned himself with her entrance. His fingers lightly skimmed the surface and came up dripping. He licked them seductively, locking eyes with her. "So wet for me already? How badly do you want me?" Kat's core began throbbing harder. This hadn't been the first time she and Dean had slept together, and they had figured out that Kat loved being dominated. The traveling didn't allow for any toy play, but Dean more than made up for it with just his hands, tongue, and words. She loved it when he teased her to the point that she was begging him.

"Please, Dean," she pleaded. "Please take me. Make me yours." Dean felt himself shudder with pleasure at the tone in her voice. He promised he would never hurt her, but it always turned him on to see this side of her. The normally strong-willed, battle-hardened witch/hunter rarely got to just sit back and let someone take control. He was more than happy to assume that role for her, if nothing else, to relieve some stress. He roughly kissed her as his fingers ghosted over her entrance again.

"You're already mine," he growled, holding his dripping fingers to her mouth. Kat obediently licked them clean, her tongue mimicking the movements she had used on him moments before. When she was done, he firmly gripped her jaw and made her look in to his green eyes. "Isn't that right, my little Kitty?" Kat gulped, a mewl coming unbidden from her throat.

"Yes, Master," she replied meekly. Dean smiled, his grip becoming a gentle stroking motion down the side of her face.

"Good girl," he murmured. Even in this meek state, Dean found Kat to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. He may have been in control, but she was calling the shots. He had gotten good at reading her, especially when she was rendered non-verbal. He could tell that she was more than ready. "Are you ready?" When Kat nodded, he chuckled softly. "You have to tell me, Kitty," he gently chided, lightly prodding her entrance. Kat squirmed and gave a small whine at the sensation.

"Master, please," she whimpered.

"Please what?"

"Make love to me!"

When Kat and Dean had started figuring out their play style, they had developed two phrases for what Kat wanted. "Make love to me" was Kat's way of saying she wanted it to be sensual, slow, and meaningful. "Fuck me" said that she wanted to be conquered hard and without mercy. Tonight, Kat wanted it to last. She wanted it rough, but given what was coming, she was willing to take it slow and let Dean relish in the feeling. Slowly, Dean pushed in to her, a long, low moan coming from both of them. The two of them savored every single feeling. He kissed her slowly and passionately, their tongues dancing with each other as he kept his agonizingly slow pace.

"Master, may I touch you?" Kat asked when Dean broke the kiss.

"You may," Dean replied. He released Kat's hands and immediately, they were caressing his back. Kat's fingers danced over his rippling muscles. Dean closed his eyes as the feeling of her soft hands on his back almost made him purr. Suddenly, her nails dug into his back and her mouth started licking and sucking on his carotid artery, making him gasp. It was an odd feeling to find so pleasurable, but it made Dean moan every time. He hadn't given her permission to do so, but he didn't care. It felt amazing. "That's my girl," he managed to choke out before a wordless moan escaped him. Dean allowed himself to enjoy it for a few more minutes before he grew impatient. Based on Kat's nails and ministrations increasing, he could tell she was too. He abruptly sat up and pulled out. Kat propped herself up on her elbows, looking at him in slight dismay.

"Present," he ordered. Kat looked at him, a small smile crossing her face. Dean grinned when he realized he had read her right, and the roughly rolled her over. Kat gave a small cry of surprise at Dean's rough grab. On her hands and knees, she looked back at Dean, who was looking her ass over appreciatively. He gave it a smack, causing Kat to cry out again, this time in pleasure. "I thought I gave you an order, my Kitty," he said, smacking her again. "I told you to present. Why didn't you move?"

"I…Ah!" she cried as she was smacked again. "I was surprised at the order….AH!" Another one. This was one of the roughest things Dean did with her, and she loved it. Once or twice, they had tried handcuffs, but the type that they had weren't comfortable, and they were never alone long enough to get a comfortable pair. Dean rubbed where he had smacked, soothing the red skin. He reached down, fisted her hair, and gave a slight tug. Kat went with the motion, allowing herself to be pulled up against Dean's chest.

"Do you promise to listen next time?" he whispered in her ear, giving the shell a scrape with his teeth.

"Yes, Master," Kat moaned as Dean's teeth scraped the thin, sensitive flesh. Dean hummed his approval.

"Do you want your favorite toy?" Kat reached behind her and grabbed him. She could feel the condom drying in the air. Dean reached down and grabbed her hand. When he felt what she felt, he stopped and backed away. "Present like a good girl," he ordered. Immediately, Kat resumed her position on her hands and knees. Her whole body trembled as Dean put a fresh condom on, and Kat trembled even more when she felt him return to his position behind her. His warm weight went over her back as he bent over her. "What does my little Kitty want?"

"I want you, Master," she replied.

"You want me to what?"

"Must I say it, Master?"

"You have to tell me what you want, Kitty," Dean said, teasing her. Kat knew what to say, but she loved Dean making her say it, as if it were embarrassing to her. "Say it," he ordered.

"I want you to fuck me," she muttered, keeping her voice soft on purpose. Her whole body trembled in anticipation.

"Louder."

"I want you to fuck me!" It was louder, but she knew how loud to make it before Dean would give her what she wanted.

"Tell me what you want!"

"FUCK ME, MASTER! PLEASE!" Kat's shout was immediately rewarded with Dean shoving in to her with brutal force. Neither of them could stay quiet, making Kat happy that she had sound proofed the room. Dean didn't keep this position for long, though. After only a few minutes of this position, he pulled out and flipped Kat back on her back, driving in to her once again.

"Are you okay?" Kat managed to get out.

"I want you to look at me when you cum," Dean grunted out as he resumed his brutal pace. Kat couldn't help but smile. Dean sat up to change his angle, and Kat saw stars. It didn't take long for her to reach her limit. Her eyes snapped open and locked with Dean's eyes as he pushed her over the edge. She obediently kept her eyes on him, but a scream of release tore from her throat. She meant to cry his name, but it felt so good that her ability to form words had been temporarily disabled. Dean followed her quickly, the sensation of her clamping down around him coupled with the look on her face pushing him over hard. They could feel each other pulsing as Dean managed a few more thrusts before pulling out. Kat collapsed on the bed, her breathing ragged but deep. Dean disposed of the condom before joining her on the bed. He pulled her close to him before pulling a cool sheet over the two of them. Kat was asleep in moments, snuggling into his chest like a cat. Dean absently stroked her hair, watching her sleep. Right before sleep claimed him, he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, Kat," he murmured. As he fell asleep, he swore that he heard Kat respond.

"I love you, Dean."

By morning, everyone in Bobby's house had figured out that Sam was gone. It was too quiet, and Dean and Kat had found Bobby unconscious in the salvage yard. They went downstairs to check the panic room.

"How the hell did he get out?" Dean asked as they opened the door.

"Maybe he had help," Bobby said, looking around. "Room full of busted devil's traps." He was right. Every devils trap had been broken.

"Demons? Ruby?" Dean guessed.

"That'd be my guess," Bobby agreed.

"How did she even touch the door?" Kat wondered.

"You think she has the mojo?" Bobby asked.

"I didn't think so," Dean said, getting frustrated. "I don't know."

"What difference does it make?" Bobby said, moving on. "How he got gone ain't as important as where he got gone to."

"Well, I'll tell you one thing," Dean said. "At this point I hope he's with Ruby."

"Why?"

"Because killing her's the next big item on my to-do list," Dean spat.

"I thought you were on call for angel duty," Bobby pointed out.

"I am on call," Dean said. "In my car, on my way to murder the bitch." He went to head out the door before Bobby stopped him.

"One thing," Bobby said.

"What?"

"Sam don't wanna be found, which means he's gonna be damn near impossible to find," Bobby informed him.

"He's right, Dean," Kat agreed. "Sam's good at covering his tracks."

"Yeah, we'll see," Dean said, and turned for the door again. Kat caught him by the arm.

"Here," Kat said, handing him a small amulet.

"What's this?"

"I whipped it up last night," she said. "It's a way for me to keep track of you. If something happens, this will let me know." She gave Dean a firm kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied. When he was gone, Kat walked back in to the room to Bobby giving her a suspicious look.

"A tracking spell?" Bobby asked.

"What?"

"There was more on that amulet, wasn't there?" Kat met Bobby's gaze evenly.

"Was there?" She and Bobby looked at each other for a solid minute before Bobby just accepted it and walked away.

Kat sat at her laptop, looking at the plans she had laid out in front of her. She had written up a will, sent it to her lawyer, who was good at quick work, and had a signed a notarized copy ready to go in the mail. She instructed it to be sent to Sam and Dean when a certain call was placed. In the will, all of her financials went into a special account that she left in an assumed name that she knew Sam would recognize and be able to access. Every book she had, both electronic and hard copy, would go to Bobby. She had already transferred all of her clients to others that she worked with, complete with emails explaining that she was taking an extended leave of absence.

The last thing that needed to happen was a message to her brothers and sisters.

She started an email addressed to her mentor, with instructions to forward it to the rest of the Coven, or to just inform them when the time came. As she wrote, she felt a strange sense of calm, like she was accepting what the ritual called for.

"Saying your goodbyes?" a voice said. Kat looked up to see Bobby standing there, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

"What are you talking about?" Kat asked, hiding the email.

"I mean your laptop needs better protection, genius," he replied, taking a sip. "I read the ritual you want to do to summon Sara back from wherever she is. Are you sure that's the right thing to do?"

"It's the only thing that I haven't tried, Bobby," Kat said. "Wait, how did you…?"

"I'm a fast learner." Bobby sat down at the table next to her. "You know, this is going to eat Dean alive. That boy cares about you, and not in the way that Sam and I do."

"And I love him, Bobby. That's why I'm doing this," Kat answered. "Dean and Sam need each other, and Cas needs the two of them."

"What about them needing you?"

"At the end of the day, I'm just one person. Sara can do so much more, so much good, if I'm out of the way." Bobby sighed.

"You sound like both of those idjits," he said, shaking his head. "What is it about Winchesters and inspiring everyone to kill themselves?"

"What do you mean?"

"John sacrificed himself to save Dean. Made a deal with the same demon that killed Mary and Jess," Bobby began.

"Azazel."

"Yeah. About a year later, Sam gets killed. Dean makes a deal to bring him back. A year later, Lilith collects on Dean's bill. Sam tried to make a deal, but lucky for him, no crossroads bastard wanted to bargain. Now, here you are, ready to die for the two of them." Kat sat there, pondering what Bobby just said. "My point is, are you sure this is what you want to do? And who you want to do it for?" Kat met Bobby's wizened old eyes.

"I'm doing it for humanity, Bobby. I'm doing this because I know that I can save my brothers and sisters, and everyone that I love, by making this one sacrifice. Besides, it's not like I'll be totally gone," Kat said calmly.

"Whaddya mean?"

"I still have some of Sara's memories, and she isn't one to just let me die," Kat pointed out. "She'll still remember things about me, or remember them as I would. They only thing is that she won't love Dean as I do."

"And that's what I'm worried about," Bobby said, taking her hand. "That boy needs you more than anything, now. He needs you to be that logical voice in his head. He won't listen to me, and Sam has gone nuts. You're more than family to him, Kat. And you're family to me and Sam," he added, tears forming in his eyes. Kat found herself tearing up as well. She gave a sad smile and brushed away a tear that fell down Bobby's face.

"Thank you, Bobby," she said. "You're like a father to me, and I love you. I'll be back, you know I will."

"None of us know that." Kat leaned forward and kissed Bobby on the cheek.

"Then consider this a promise," she said, taking his right hand in her own. "I will come back, Bobby. Promise me that you won't let Dean make a deal to bring me back."

"He's gonna try," Bobby pointed out, gripping her hand tightly.

"Then stop him, or Sara will. Besides, I'm not headed for Hell. Sara will know where to find me," she said. Bobby searched her face for a moment, and then nodded his agreement.

"Don't let me down, kid," Bobby said. Kat pulled him in to a fierce hug.

"I won't," she whispered.

Dean returned with no luck. Bobby had reported his car stolen to the police, and they had been able to track it down.

"Police found my car," Bobby told the two of them the next morning. "Abandoned in an alley in Jamestown, North Dakota."

"He's switching up," Dean said, in full hunter mode. "Any other cars stolen in Jamestown?"

"Two," Bobby replied. "1999 Honda Civic, blue. Nice and anonymous, like Sam likes."

"What was the other one?" Kat asked.

"White '05 Escalade with custom rims. It's a neon sign," Bobby answered.

"You're right, he'd never take that," Dean said. "Which is exactly what he did."

"You think?" Bobby asked.

"I know that kid," Dean said. "All right, I'll head in that direction. You stay here, ride the police databases. We gotta find him quick." As Dean headed out the door, Kat noticed that the talisman she had given him was hanging around his neck on the same leather thong that his amulet was hanging on. Dean saw her looking at him, followed her gaze, and smiled. "I'm not taking this off for anything," he said, walking over to her and kissing her.

"Be careful," Kat said, kissing him back.

"I will," Dean replied, and went out the door.

The slamming front door woke Kat up, alerting her to Dean's return. She heard the refrigerator open and shut as she came downstairs. Dean only looked up from his beer, which he had all but drained, when he heard a creak in the floor. His eyes were greeted with the tousled-haired, sleepy gray-eyed face of his girlfriend. A quick glance around the room, and then at the almost-empty beer in Dean's hand told her everything she needed to know.

"Sam went with Ruby," she said simply. Dean glared at her, giving her the only answer she needed before draining what was left of his beer before getting another. "Dean, I'm so sorry," she said. She was ready to throw her arms around him and comfort him, but she waited for a signal from him. He sat down at the table in the kitchen, drained his beer, and gave her a look at was her signal. She walked over to him, leaned on the table, and opened her arms. Dean's head landed on her abdomen and his arms wrapped around her waist. Kat stroked his hair, feeling him begin to cry.

"I told him if he walked out the door, to never come back," he said, his voice cracking with sorrow. Kat knew that Bobby would have something to say about that, but tonight, Dean needed her to be there for him. She pulled away slightly and knelt down, allowing Dean to pull her closer to him, holding her like this was the last time he ever would.

"I'm sorry, Dean," she whispered. He let her go and just looked at her.

"I've lost him, Kat," he said. "I've lost Sammy." Kat reached up and gently cupped his face.

"No, you haven't, Dean," she said quietly. "He's still your brother." Dean leaned in to her touch.

"I'm not so sure," he muttered. Kat sighed and kissed him, her touch soft and caring. When she pulled away, the tears had begun to flow freely.

"Come up to bed, Dean," Kat said, standing up and tugging on his hand. Slowly, Dean stood up, and allowed himself to be led upstairs to their bedroom. Once inside, she stripped him down to his boxers and helped him in to bed. She crawled in beside him and pulled the covers up over him. She propped herself up a little higher than him, allowing him to put his head down on her chest. She wrapped her arms around him and just held him. Dean listened to the sound of her heartbeat and breathing. Eventually, she began to hum. It was Will ye go, Lassie, go, an old Irish lullaby. Dean sighed slightly at the soft, warm tones of Kat's voice. Slowly, Dean fell asleep. Kat, however, couldn't. Bobby had told her how much Dean needed her, but she didn't realize just how right he was. She was having second thoughts, and it was scaring her. Eventually, sleep claimed her as well, and she held Dean as close as she could.


	12. A Change of Plans

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel, Vasa, and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 4, Episode 22: Lucifer Rising.

The sound of Bobby and Dean arguing woke Kat up. She ran downstairs in time to see Bobby sweep his desk with his hands, knocking off multiple books and papers.

"You stupid, stupid son of a bitch," Bobby spat, advancing on Dean. "Well, boo hoo, I am so sorry your feelings are hurt, princess! Are you under the impression that family's supposed to make you feel good? Make you an apple pie maybe? They're supposed to make you miserable! That's why they're family!"

"I told him, 'You walk out that door, don't come back!' and he walked out anyway. That was his choice!" Dean retorted.

"You sound like a whiny brat," Bobby scoffed. When Dean pushed past him, he added, "No, you sound like your dad. Well let me tell you something. Your dad was a coward." That made Dean turn around.

"My dad was a lot of things, Bobby, but a coward?" he said.

"He'd rather push Sam away than reach out to him," Bobby continued. "Well, that don't strike me as brave. You are a better man than your daddy ever was. So you do us both a favor. Don't be him."

Before Kat could open her mouth, she felt a tug that could only have been made by the talisman that Dean was wearing. Sure enough, the two of them were in a familiar room. Artwork was on the walls, furniture was around the room, and a gorgeous fireplace stood under a picture of Michael. Dean looked confused, while Kat looked worried.

"Hello, Dean," said a familiar voice. Dean and Kat turned to see Castiel. "It's almost time." Kat looked at Castiel, who looked back at her with no expression on his face.

"Hello, Cas," Kat said, trying to be friendly.

"Hello, Katherine." Cas gave no indication that he remembered what he had promised. "Please wait here, both of you." He vanished, leaving Kat and Dean alone.

"Did they snatch you up to make me cooperate again?" Dean wondered aloud. Kat walked over to him, still in her pajamas, and gently touched the talisman.

"This is more than a tracking spell, Dean," she explained. "This binds me to you. If the Angels ever came for you, then I would be right there with you, no matter what."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not letting these feather brained asshats treat you like crap, that's why," Kat replied. Dean grinned and gave her a hug, cradling her in his arms.

"Thank you." The two spent some time looking at the artwork on the walls. Soon, Dean turned and saw that the large marble table now held a silver bowl filled with Dean's favorite beer on ice, and a platter of burgers.

"Hello, Dean," said another familiar voice, one that made Kat's skin crawl. The two turned to see Zachariah, and Cas standing behind him. "You're looking fit."

"Well, how 'bout this?" Dean said. "The Suite Life of Zach and Cas." When his joke was met with silence, "It's a…never mind." Kat moved closer to Dean, her eyes never leaving Zachariah. "So, what is this? Where the hell are we?"

"Call it a Green Room," Zachariah explained. "We're closing in on the grand finale, here. We want to keep you safe before showtime." He motioned to the table, completely ignoring Kat. "Try a burger. They're your favorite. From that seaside shack in Delaware. You were 11, I think."

"I'm not hungry," Dean replied, looking at his girl. "Kat might be hungry, though."

"No? How about Ginger from Season 2 of Gilligan's Island?" he said, a 'say no more' tone in his voice. "You do have a thing for her, don't you?" Dean wrapped an arm around Kat, pulling her to his side.

"No thanks. Kinda committed."

"We'll throw in Mary Ann for free," Zachariah offered. Kat frowned and balled up her fists. This Angel was getting on her last nerve.

"No. Let's bail on the holodeck, okay?" Dean said, keeping Kat secure to his side. I want to know what the game plan is."

"Let us worry about that," Zachariah said, dismissively. "We want you focused, relaxed."

"Well, I'm about to be pissed and leaving, so start talking, Chuckles," Dean shot back.

"All of the seals have fallen," Zachariah said with a sigh. "Except one."

"That's an impressive score," Kat mocked.

"That's right up there with the Washington Generals," Dean added.

"You think sarcasm's appropriate, do you?" Zachariah asked, his tone changing slightly. "Considering…you started all this?" Kat made to confront the infuriating angel, but Dean held her fast. "But the final seal, it'll be different."

"Why?"

"Lilith has to break it," was the reply. "She's the only one who can. Tomorrow night…midnight."

"Where?"

"We're working on it."

"Well, work harder."

"We'll do our job," Zachariah insisted. "You just make sure you do yours."

"Yeah, and what is that exactly?" Dean asked, getting more pissed by the minute. "If I'm supposed to be the one that stops her, how? With the knife?"

"All in good time," Zachariah said, pulling the angelic tone out.

"Isn't now a good time?" Dean fired back.

"Have faith," Zachariah said, still using the angelic tone. Kat was ready to kill him.

"What, in you?" she spat. "Give us one good reason why we should?" Zachariah closed the gap between the three of them.

"Because Dean swore obedience, little bitch. He has to obey." Dean looked at Cas, who looked down with guilt.

Dean paced the room, holding his cell phone, contemplating.

"Call him, Dean," Kat said. "This may be your only chance." Dean looked at her in surprise, and then a look of resignation came across his face.

"Ah, screw it," he said. He dialed Sam's number and began to leave him a message. Meanwhile, Kat stepped away and called to Castiel. The angel answered promptly.

"Yes, Katherine?"

"Cas, I wanted to make sure that you were still in," she said quietly. She searched the angel's shocking blue eyes. When he didn't answer, she took his hand. "Please, Cas. Sara is our only hope right now." At the mention of her name, a change came over Cas. The old fire was back in his eyes. He pulled Kat close and hugged her.

"I'm sorry that it's come to this," he said softly. "I'm sorry that you have to give up so much." Kat hugged him back, smiling at the gesture by the normally-emotionless angel.

"Cas, promise me something," she whispered. "When you see Sara, tell her how you feel." Cas responded by hugging her tighter.

"I promise," he said, his voice still soft, but solemn. Kat pulled away slightly and looked into Cas' eyes.

"I don't know if she's ever told you this, but your eyes are beautiful," she said. Gently, she reached up and pulled him in to a soft, gentle kiss. The only thing behind it was gratitude. When she pulled away, Cas was looking at her, a mixture of gratitude, sorrow, and admiration on his face. "She loves you, Cas. So does Dean, so does Sam…and so do I." She stroked his face with her thumb. "You're unique, Cas. Stay that way." Cas gently removed her hand from his face, but not before kissing it. He then reached out, placing a thumb on her forehead. There was a burning feeling as Cas burned an Enochian sigil on to her skull. When Kat opened her eyes, he was gone. Kat walked back in to the room with Dean, and sat on the couch with him, cuddled up. Eventually, she fell asleep, waiting for the inevitable.

Pounding on the walls woke her up with a jolt. Dean was trying to smash through the walls with an ornate stand as a hammer. When he paused for a second, the wall fixed itself. Dean threw his makeshift hammer on the ground as Zachariah appeared.

"Quit hurling feces like a howler monkey, would you? It's unbecoming," the Seraph said.

"Let us out of here," Dean demanded, immediately moving over to Kat to protect her.

"Like I told you, too dangerous out there. Demons on the prowl," Zachariah said simply.

"We've been getting our assess kicked all year," Dean spat. "Now you're sweating my safety? You're lying. I want to see my brother."

"That's…ill advised," Zachariah said.

"You know, I am so sick of your crap riddles and your smug, fat face," Dean began, laying in to the Seraph. "What the hell is going on, huh? Why can't I see Sam? And how am I gonna ice Lilith?" Zachariah sighed and sat down on a sofa on the opposite side of the room. Kat got up and joined Dean.

"You're not…going to ice Lilith," Zachariah said, resigned. That shocked Kat and Dean.

"What?"

"Lilith's going to break the final seal. Fait accompli at this point. Train's left the station," the Seraph said.

"But me and Sam, we can stop…." Dean stopped mid-sentence, a look of understanding coming across his face. "You don't want to stop it, do you?" Kat's eyes grew wide, and she realized that was what Sara had found out.

"Nope, never did," Zachariah answered. "The end is nigh. The apocalypse is coming, kiddo, to a theater near you."

"What was all that crap about saving seals?" Dean demanded.

"Our grunts on the ground – we couldn't just tell them the whole truth," Zachariah said, as if it were obvious. "We'd have a full-scale rebellion on our hands. I mean, think about it: Would we really let 65 seals get broken unless senior management wanted it that way?"

"That's why Sara got sealed away. She found out, didn't she?" Kat asked.

"She would have been the leader of the rebellion," Zachariah said. "She's the only one in all of heaven that even has a hope of defeating Michael. We couldn't have her in the way."

"But why?" Dean asked.

"Why not? The apocalypse? Poor name, bad marketing - puts people off. When all it is Ali/Foreman. On a... slightly larger scale. And we like our chances. When our side wins - and we will - it's paradise on earth. Now, what's not to like about that?" Zachariah smirked. He was selling hard, but neither the hunter nor the witch were buying it.

"What happens to all the people during your little pissing contest?" Dean demanded.

"Well," Zachariah replied, standing up. "You can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. In this case…truckloads of eggs, but you get the picture." Both Dean and Kat scoffed. "Look…it happens," Zachariah continued. "This isn't the first planetary enema we've delivered." His eyes traveled to a small statue that Dean was eyeing. "Uh, no, Dean. Probably shouldn't try to bash my skull in with that thing. Wouldn't end up too pleasant for you."

"What about Sam? He won't go quietly. He'll stop Lilith," Dean said. Zachariah took a deep breath.

"Sam... has a part to play. A very important part. He may need a little nudging in the right direction, but I'll make sure he plays it."

"What does that mean?" Dean asked. "What are you gonna do to him?"

"Sam, Sam, Sam. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. Forget about him, would you?" Zachariah said. Every word this asshole uttered made Kat want to shove her fist right in his face. "You have larger concerns. Why do you think I'm confiding in you? You're still vital, Dean. We weren't lying about your destiny. Just... omitted a few pertinent details. But nothing's changed. You are chosen. You will stop it. Just... not Lilith, or the apocalypse. That's all."

"What does that mean?" Kat asked. Zachariah motioned up to a painting on the wall.

"Lucifer," he declared. "You, Dean, are going to stop Lucifer. You're our own little Russell Crowe, complete with surly attitude. And when it's over…and when you've won…your rewards will be…unimaginable. Peace, happiness…two virgins and seventy sluts." Zachariah laughed, but Dean just took Kat's hand. "Trust me," the angel continued. "One day, we'll look back on this and laugh."

"Tell me something," Dean said, causing Zachariah to stop. "Where's God in all this?"

"God?" Zachariah responded. "God has left the building."

Dean pulled out his phone to try and call Sam again. He seemed desperate to get to his little brother. Dean had told Kat that he had managed to at least leave Sam a message, saying that he was sorry. Kat could practically see Dean begin to unravel, making her decision even harder. She kept telling herself that she was doing this for him, but now, more than ever, she was second guessing herself. As she sat there, trying to resolve her dilemma, Castiel arrived.

"You can't reach him," he told Dean. "You're outside your coverage zone."

"What are you gonna do to Sam?" Dean demanded.

"Nothing," Cas answered. "He's gonna do it to himself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asked. Kat got up, realizing more and more.

"Cas let Sam out," she said simply. "Didn't you?" When Cas nodded, Dean got angrier. When Cas didn't answer his question, he just kept getting pissed. "Right, gotta toe the company line. Why are you here, Cas?"

"We've been through much together, you and I," Cas replied. "And I just wanted to say, I'm sorry it ended like this."

"Sorry?!" Dean exclaimed. He punched Cas as hard as he could. Cas' head merely snapped to the side, his face giving no reaction. Dean turned away and flexed his hand in pain. He looked at Kat, who just shrugged, her face saying, What did you expect? "It's Armageddon, Cas. You need a bigger word than 'sorry'."

"Try to understand," Cas said. "This is long foretold. This is your…"

"Destiny? Don't give me that 'holy' crap," Dean spat. "Destiny, God's plan…It's all a bunch of lies, you poor, stupid son of a bitch! It's just a way for your bosses to keep me and keep you in line! You know what's real? People, families - that's real. And you're gonna watch them all burn?"

"What is so worth saving?" Cas retorted, getting closer to Dean. "I see nothing but pain here. I see inside you. I see your guilt, your anger, your confusion. I can see Kat's pain and emptiness at Sarakiel's absence. I see her pain at seeing you in pain. In paradise, all is forgiven. You'll be at peace. Even with Sam."

"You can take your peace and shove it up your lily-white ass," Dean said quietly. "Cause I'll take the pain and the guilt. I'll even take Sam as is. It's a lot better than being some Stepford bitch in paradise. This is simple, Cas! No more crap about being a good soldier. There is a right and there is a wrong here, and you know it." Cas turned away, trying to ignore him. "Look at me!" Dean shouted, grabbing his shoulder and turning him back so that they were face to face. "You know it! You were gonna help me once, weren't you? You were gonna warn me about all this, before they dragged you back to Bible camp. Help me – now…please."

"What would you have me do?" Cas asked quietly.

"Get me to Sam" Dean pleaded. "We can stop this before it's too late."

"I do that, we will all be hunted. We'll all be killed," Cas replied, getting serious, annoyed, and afraid at the same time.

"If there is anything worth dying for, this is it," Dean insisted. Cas shook his head and looked down.

"You spineless, soulless son of a bitch," Dean was saying. "What do you care about dying? You're already dead. We're done."

"Dean," Cas said, trying to reason with him.

"We're done," Dean repeated, his back to the angel. When Cas made to leave, Kat caught his arm. She pleaded with him silently, doing her best to mimic Sam's puppy eyes. Cas merely looked down, and then vanished. Hesitantly, Kat walked over to a fuming Dean. "The nerve of that son of a bitch. But what does he care? He's already dead."

"Dean, that's not how that works," Kat explained. "The Angels were created by God, not by dead souls. How else could Cas remember things that happened before humans even existed?" Dean looked at her, surprised and confused. "What? Sara told me things."

"Speaking of, what's this about you sacrificing yourself for Sara?" Kat blanched. Her eyes grew wide and she turned away from Dean, finding it hard to even look in his direction. She could feel Dean's disappointment and fear. "It's true…I thought Bobby was lying…I thought he had read wrong. First Cas refuses to help me, and now you're going to kill yourself to bring Sara back? Kat, what the hell?"

"Dean, it's the only way to free her," Kat said.

"Bullshit," Dean snapped, moving over to her and yanking on her shoulder, forcing her to turn and face him. "There has to be another way, a way for her to get out without you sacrificing your life for her."

"And what other way would that be, Dean?" Kat snapped back. "Because if you can think of something, please, share with the class."

"We can ask Cas…"

"Cas doesn't know," Kat cut him off. "No one knows, except for the assholes that put her away in the first place, and they're not talking. Don't you get it, Dean? They want the apocalypse to happen. They want the world to end. You heard Zachariah: Sara is the only one with any hope of stopping Michael. If I don't do this, we are dead."

"If you do this, you're dead, and where does that leave me?" Dean shouted, tears forming in his green eyes. Kat's mouth snapped shut, her grey eyes wide. Dean sighed and grabbed her shoulders. "Dammit, Kat…I love you. There haven't been very many good things in my life, and you're one of them. You're smart, a damn good hunter, and the only witch I've managed to be in the same room with without wanting to kill. When I say I love you, I mean it with everything I've got. I've never felt this way…about anyone…ever. Kat if you leave me…I don't know what I'll do." Kat was speechless. Dean allowed his tears to flow freely, all machismo gone. He was bearing his soul to this woman, this beautiful witch that he had come to love. At that moment, everything Kat had planned was a bad idea. She wanted to stay. She wanted to be with Dean. She wanted to share her life with him.

"Marry me," she whispered. She sent out a mental prayer to Cas, and told him to listen to this.

"What?"

"Marry me, Dean. I know what you keep saying about attachments, but we're both in the life. As long as we are, let's at least be happy." Kat studied Dean as a mix of emotions crossed his face. Finally, he grinned.

"If we're going to do this, then let's do it right," he said. He took Kat's hands in his, and got down on one knee. "Katherine Elsin, will you marry me?"

Kat was never one for showing too much emotion openly. However, despite her asking the question first, when Dean asked it, she reverted to a giggling school girl.

"Yes, Dean Winchester…I will marry you!" Dean jumped up and scooped her into a kiss, full of love and light. Suddenly, the two of them heard wings announcing the arrival of an angel. They turned to see Vasa, Sara's lieutenant, standing there. In one hand, she had a small black velvet box. In the other, a piece of paper with both of their names on it.

"Vasa?" Kat asked, looking at him. She merely handed the box to Dean, and placed the paper on the table, holding a pen out to the two.

"Who is she?" Dean asked.

"Sara's lieutenant. I thought they killed you?" Kat said, still happy to see the dark-haired angel.

"Sarakiel would kill them if they did. The Archangel was hoping this for you, so she set this up through me," she said simply. Kat looked at the paper as Dean opened the box. Inside were two matching gold bands, as well as a gold band with a small iridescent crystal on it. Kat signed the marriage certificate, which had already been notarized. Dean came up behind her and did the same. Vasa stood near the two of them and gestured for them to stand before him. The did, holding hands and looking at each other. The angel spoke words about love and commitment, how two souls joining together in the face of danger was a symbol of true, strong love.

"Dean Winchester, do you take this woman to be your wife?" Vasa asked Dean.

"I do."

"Katherine Elsin, do you take this man to be your husband?" she asked Kat.

"I do." Dean took both of Kat's rings out of the box and slipped them on her fingers.

"Kat, I give you this ring as a symbol of my undying love and commitment to you." Kat followed suit with Dean's ring.

"Dean, I give you this ring as a symbol of my undying love and commitment to you."

"By the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Dean, you may kiss your bride." Dean pulled Kat close, dipped her, and kissed her deeply. When they broke apart, Vasa was smiling. Kat gave the angel a big hug.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Sarakiel sends her love," Vasa replied, returning the hug. "Be good to each other, you two." Dean nodded and held his new wife in his arms. With a nod, Vasa vanished. No sooner had she, then Castiel appeared behind Dean, slammed him against the wall, and covered his mouth.

"Cas!" Kat shouted, but Cas ignored her. He drew the demon knife from Dean's belt, and looked at him intently. When Dean nodded understanding, Kat was confused. "What's going on?" she asked Dean as Cas released him. Dean just pulled Kat to the side, keeping her close by. The two watched as Cas sliced his arm open, and began drawing a sigil on the wall with his own blood.

"Castiel!" a voice shouted. Cas kept going. Zachariah entered the room and made for the blue-eyed angel. "Would you mind explaining just what the hell you're doing?" Cas finished what he was drawing and slammed his hand on the wall. Zachariah disappeared in a flash of light and a scream.

"He won't be gone long," Cas said, frantic. "We have to find Sam now."

"Where is he?" Dean asked.

"I don't know," Cas replied, but I know who does. We have to stop him, Dean, from killing Lilith."

"But Lilith's gonna break the final seal," Kat said.

"Lilith IS the final seal," Cas said, emphatically. "She dies, the end begins."

Castiel brought Dean and Kat to Chuck's house. He was pacing his kitchen and talking on the phone, when he jumped at the sight of the three of them.

"Wait…" he stuttered. "T-this isn't supposed to happen." A female voice on the other side of the phone said something. "No, lady, this is definitely supposed to happen, but I just got to call you back." He hung up and looked at the three of them.

"We need to find Sam, Chuck," Kat said, moving toward his computer. On the screen was a page.

"Lucifer Rising," Kat read out loud. She looked at the writer, an eyebrow cocked. "Not if we can help it." She scrolled through the pages and came across a scene where Sam finally sees Lilith. "St. Mary's in Ilchester, Maryland."

"St. Mary's?" Dean repeated. "What is that, a convent?"

"Yeah, but you guys aren't supposed to be there," Chuck protested. "You're not in this story."

"Yeah, well," Cas said, looking at Dean and Kat. "We're making it up as we go."

"Right," Chuck sighed. "Oh, congrats, you two," he added. Kat and Dean looked at him. Chuck gestured to the rings on Kat's left hand. "Dean needs a Mrs. Winchester in his life." Kat looked at the rings, and couldn't help but smile at being called by her new last name.

Suddenly, the computer screen flickered, and the house started rumbling. White light started pouring in to the house.

"Aw man!" Chuck lamented. "Not again! No!"

"It's the Archangel!" Castiel shouted. "I'll hold them off! I'll hold them all off! Just stop Sam!" He clapped the two on the forehead, and they vanished.

They found themselves in an abandoned hallway. Gathering themselves, they looked around, and started walking down it. They could hear some commotion nearby, and when they found it, their hearts dropped. Sam had his hand outstretched toward Lilith, who was pinned to the altar behind her. Ruby was a few steps behind Sam. When she saw Dean and Kat, she smirked and flung out her hand, causing the doors to shut. The two of them ran to the doors and started pounding as hard as they could, both screaming Sam's name.

"Dean, stand back!" Kat commanded. Dean moved away as Kat steadied her stance, facing the door. With a deep breath, she heaved power at it. "RUMPATUR!" she shouted. The door moved, but stayed intact. She tried again, each time adding to the power she was throwing. Halfway through another incantation, she froze. She could hear whispering. "Shit," she muttered. She pulled everything she had at one final push.

"RUMPATUR!" she screamed. The door flew open, splintering slightly. Sam was on the floor, distraught and on the verge of tears. Dean charged in as Kat tried to recover from the last blast.

"You're too late," Ruby sneered. Dean drew the demon knife.

"I don't care," Dean snarled back. Sam jumped up behind Ruby and held her by her arms. With a grunt, Dean drove the knife in to Ruby, killing her. Kat's eyes were drawn to the pattern that Lilith's blood was making on the floor.

"I'm sorry," Sam choked out. Kat looked at her now brother-in-law. He was broken, tired, and afraid. Dean was taking the role of the big brother again, comforting his little brother. Kat went on the other side of Sam, still out of breath, and gripped his arm gently. Suddenly, there was a shot of white light pouring from the center of the pattern on the floor. The convent began to rumble. Dean grabbed Sam's jacket.

"Sammy, let's go," Dean said. But, Sam and Kat couldn't move. "Sam! Kat!" Dean called, but he was suddenly transfixed on the widening hole in the floor.

"Dean…" Sam said, clutching Dean's shirt. "He's coming." Kat suddenly had an overwhelming sense of fear wash over her. Dean reached over and pulled her to him. She clung to him, and only one word was on her mind.

SARAKIEL!


	13. It has Begun

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 1: Sympathy for the Devil.

SARAKIEL!

Dean, Sam, and Kat suddenly found themselves in a plane. All three looked around, confused. The inflight movie appeared to be Devil's Feud Cake, an old looney toons movie.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered, looking around.

"I don't know," Sam said.

"Folks, quick word from the flight deck. We're just passing over Ilchester, then Ellicott City, on our initial descent into Baltimore," the pilot said over the intercom.

"Ilchester?" Kat said. "Weren't we just there?"

"So, if you'd like to stretch your legs, now would be a good time to…HOLY CRAP!" The plane suddenly was thrown around. People in the cabin were being thrown out of their seats. Sam, Dean, and Kat all grabbed the oxygen masks that had dropped and put them over their faces, looking at each other in alarm. Outside, through Dean's window, they could see the column of light thrown up from the abbey where they had just been. The high-pitched whine was back, and the three of them looked at each other, terrified.

Thankfully, the pilot was able to make a landing at the closest airstrip. All of the passengers were evacuated, with some being treated for injury. Dean got a rental car and the three of them high-tailed it out of there. On the way back to find Baby, Sam turned on the radio.

"And Governor O'Malley urged calm, saying it's very unlikely an abandoned convent would be a target for terrorists, either foreign or homegrown," the radio announcer said.

"Change the station," Dean said. Sam poked a button on the digital radio, changing the station.

"—Hurricane Kinley, unexpectedly slamming into the Galveston area"

Click

"—announced a successful test of the North Korean nuclear"

Click

"—a series of tremors"

Click

"—swine flu"

Everyone in the car let out a sigh as Sam turned the radio off. They hadn't stopped it. The Apocalypse was happening.

"Dean, look," Sam began.

"Don't say anything," Dean said, cutting him off. After a pause, "It's okay. We just got to keep our heads down and hash this out, all right?"

"Yeah, okay," Sam said, returning the car to an uncomfortable silence.

"All right, well, first things first – How did we end up soul plane?" Dean asked finally.

"Angels, maybe?" Sam guessed. "I mean, you know, beaming us out of harm's way?"

"Well, whatever," Dean said. "It's the least of our worries. We need to find Cas."

The three of them went straight to Chuck's house. When they arrived, they found the house devastated. They looked around, trying to find some sign of either Chuck or Cas. Suddenly, Chuck came out of nowhere and smacked Sam on the back of the head with a toilet plunger.

"Geez! Ow!" Sam exclaimed.

"Sam," Chuck said with surprise.

"Yeah!"

"Hey, Chuck," Dean said, sounding relieved to see the prophet.

"So, you're okay?" Chuck stuttered.

"Well, my head hurts," Sam said, still rubbing the spot where he was smacked.

"No, I mean – I mean, my – My last vision," Chuck clarified. "You went, like, full-on Vader. Your body temperature was 150. Your heart rate was 200. Your eyes were black!"

"Your eyes went black?" Dean asked Sam, who looked back at his brother.

"I didn't know."

"Where's Cas?" Kat interjected.

He's dead," Chuck said. "Or gone. The archangel smote the crap out of him. I'm sorry."

"You're sure? I mean, maybe he just vanished into the light or something," Dean tried to reason.

"Oh,no," Chuck said. "He, like, exploded. Like, a water balloon of chunky soup." Kat's stomach turned at the thought. Sam motioned to Chuck, messing with the left side of his own head.

"You got a…" Chuck waved a hand over his right ear.

"Right here?" Sam indicated the other side. Chuck mirrored Sam's motion, and pulled something out of his hair. "Oh. Oh god, is that a molar? Do I have a molar in my hair? This has been a really stressful day."

"Cas, you stupid bastard," Dean muttered.

"Stupid? He was trying to help us," Sam said.

"Yeah, exactly," Dean said.

"So what now?

"I don't know." The three hunters weren't sure of anything.

"Oh crap," Chuck said.

"What?"

"I can feel them," the prophet said.

"Thought we'd find you here." Kat's stomach dropped. The three turned around to see Zachariah, accompanied by two angels. "Playtime's over, Dean. Time to come with us."

"You keep your distance, asshat!" Dean spat, pointing at the angel.

"You're upset," Zachariah said, trying to play the understanding diplomat.

"Yeah, a little," Dean sneered. "You sons of bitches jump-started judgement day!"

"Maybe we let it happen," Zachariah replied. We didn't start anything…right, Sammy?" He winked at Sam. "You had a chance to stop your brother, and you couldn't. So, let's not quibble over who started what. Let's just say it was all our faults and move on. 'Cause like it or not, it's Apocalypse Now. And we're back on the same team again."

"Yeah right," Kat scoffed.

"Is that so?" Dean said.

"You want to kill the devil. We want you to kill the devil. It's…synergy."

"I always hated that word," Kat said.

"And I'm supposed to trust you?" Dean said. "Cram it with walnuts, ugly."

"This isn't a game, son," Zachariah replied, getting serious. "Lucifer is powerful in ways that defy description. We need to strike now, hard and fast…before he finds his vessel."

"His vessel?" Sam asked. "Lucifer needs a meat suit?"

"He is an angel. Them's the rules," Zachariah confirmed. "And when he touches down, we're talking Four Horsemen, red oceans, fiery skies, the greatest hits. You can stop him, Dean, but you need our help."

"You listen to me, you two-faced douche," Dean snarled. "After what you did, I don't want jack squat from you!"

"You listen to me, boy!" Zachariah snapped, advancing on Dean. "You think you can rebel against us? As Lucifer did?" He stopped mid-sentence and noticed that Dean's hand was bleeding. "You're bleeding," he said.

"Oh yeah, a little insurance policy in case you dicks showed up." Dean slapped his hand on a banishing sigil he had drawn behind the door on his right. Zachariah and the two other angels disappeared with a flash of white light. "Learned that from my friend, Cas, you son of a bitch."

"This sucks ass," Chuck said, sounding weary. The three of them looked at the poor prophet, and no one would disagree with him.

Later that day, at the Regent Inn Motel, Dean and Kat were in a room, loading guns. Sam ran in and shut the door. He pulled something out of his shirt and tossed it to both Kat and Dean.

"Here," he said as he threw. "Hex bags. No way angels will find us with those."

"Demons either," Kat said, checking the contents.

"Where'd you get it?" Dean asked.

"I made it," his brother answered.

"How?" There was a pause long enough to cause Dean to look at Sam, who seemed a little sheepish.

"I…I learned it from Ruby," he answered.

"Speaking of," Dean said, putting the gun down and approaching Sam. "How you doing? Are you jonesing for another hit of bitch blood or what?"

"It's…weird," Sam replied. "Uh, tell you the truth, I'm fine. No shakes, no fever. It's like whoever…put me on that plane cleansed me right up."

"Supernatural methadone," Kat commented, putting her hex bag on her belt. "These look great, Sam," she continued over the awkward silence. "Whoever Ruby used to be, she was a hell of a witch." There was another awkward pause.

"Dean," Sam began.

"Sam." Dean turned away from his brother. "It's okay, you don't have to say anything."

"Well, that's good," Sam replied. "Because what can I even say? 'I'm sorry'? 'I screwed up'? Doesn't really do it justice, you know? Look, there's nothing I can do or say that will even make this right…"

"Then why do you keep bringing it up?" Dean snapped. Sam sighed, and Dean turned to face his little brother again. "Look, all I'm saying is, why do we have to put this under a microscope? We made a mess. We clean it up. That's it." Sam nodded. Dean looked at Kat, who nodded as well. Personally, she felt bad for Sam. He wanted Dean to be mad so that he could try and fix it, but Dean was taking it in stride, and it was confusing the younger Winchester. Kat walked over and put her hand on Sam's arm, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "All right, so, say this is just another hunt. You know? What do we do first?"

"We'd, uh, figure out where the thing is," Sam answered.

"All right, so we just got to find…the devil." Even as Dean said it, they realized how difficult this hunt was going to be. It was probably going to be the toughest thing any of them had faced. Dean would later say that it made Azazel look like a big teddy bear that was blatantly obvious.

Dean sat on the bed, cuddling with Kat and watching TV, as Sam poured through John's journal, looking for anything that he could find that might help them.

"How would you explain an earthquake, a hurricane, and multiple tornadoes, all at the same time, all around the globe?" an interviewer was asking someone on TV.

"Two words," said the interviewee. "Carbon Emissions." Despite being a staunch supporter of environmental safety, Kat gave the same derisive snort that Dean gave.

"Yeah right, wavy gravy," Dean said. There was a knock on the door. Dean and Kat both pulled guns as Sam answered the door. Standing there was a blonde woman who barely made it past Sam's chest. Her eyes lit up like the fourth of July and she started hyperventilating.

"You okay, lady?" Sam asked her as Dean and Kat stowed the guns.

"Sam…is it really you?!" she whispered/shrieked.

"Oh Christ," Kat muttered. "She's fangirling." Sam glanced back at her as the woman stepped closer and put a hand on his chest.

"And you're so firm," she commented.

"Uh, do I know you?" Sam asked.

"No," she said. "But I know you. You're Sam Winchester." She gushed the name out like it was the sexiest thing she had ever said in her life. "And you're…" she began, looking over at Dean. "Not what I pictured." Her eyes then fell to Kat. "I don't know who you are."

"I'm Kat, Dean's wife," she said, firming her grip on her gun that was currently behind her back.

"I'm Becky," the woman said, finally introducing herself. She seemed strangely pleased that Kat had married Dean. "I read all about you guys. I've even written a few…" she cut herself off, a strange look coming over her face, and a giggle coming out of her mouth. Kat felt bile in her stomach. She's a fanfic writier…a slash writer at that, she thought. "Anyway, Mr. Edlund told me where to find you."

"Chuck?" Dean asked, standing up. Sam closed the door and joined his brother, who was quickly joined by Kat.

"He's got a message," Becky said, suddenly serious. "But he's being watched. Angels. Nice change-up to the mythology by the way. The demon stuff was getting kind of old."

"Right," Sam said, trying to steer her back on the subject. "Just…um…what's the message."

"He had a vision," Becky said solemnly. "The Michael Sword is on Earth. The angels lost it."

"The Michael Sword?" Dean asked.

"Becky, does he know where it is?" Sam asked.

"In a castle, on a hill made of forty-two dogs," Becky replied.

"Forty-two dogs?" Dean repeated.

"Are…you sure you got that right?" Sam asked Becky.

"It doesn't make sense, but that's what he said," she replied, stepping closer to Sam. "I memorized every word…for you." She placed her hand back on Sam's chest, closing her eyes at the feeling.

"Um, Becky?" Sam said, looking to his brother and sister-in-law for help. "Can you…quit touching me?"

"No," she replied, still stroking his chest.

They finally got Becky to leave. As soon as they shut the door, Dean called Bobby, and Sam shuddered.

"Who the hell was that woman?" he asked.

"A fanfic writer," Kat said from her laptop. She had done a search on Becky, and found a website that made Kat's insides shrivel up. "She also runs this website." Kat angled her laptop so that Sam could read it. " …it's full of slash fiction…about you two." Sam shuddered again.

"Why do they do this?" he asked, repulsed.

"Different strokes for different folks, Sam," Kat replied with a shrug. Sam gave her a bitchface, and Kat held up her hands. "Hey, I don't like it either, but it's what they like to write, and there is an audience for it. I really can't judge them."

"That is sick," Sam said.

"That's rule 34 of the internet, Sam. If it exists, there is porn of it," Kat replied, returning to her a laptop, taking a moment to erase the website from her browser history before moving on to do the research she needed to do for Dean. A few hours later, Bobby arrived in Baby. Kat smiled when she saw Dean perk up at the sound of his beloved Impala. She was pretty sure that that car was the only thing he could love as much as he loved her, and it made her happy to see him work on her. Dean answered the door when Bobby came upstairs.

"Hey, Bobby," he said, bringing the old hunter in for a hug.

"Good to see you all in one piece," Bobby said. He went over to hug Sam, who was smiling. "And congratulations, Mrs. Winchester," he added as he hugged Kat. "Maybe you can make an honest man out of him, finally."

"If angels can't, I sure as hell can't," Kat laughed, hugging Bobby back.

"Welp, at least I got a daughter out of the deal," Bobby said, holding her at arm's length, smiling warmly.

"You weren't followed, were you?" Dean asked as he closed the door.

"You mean by angels, demons, or Sam's new superfan?" Bobby asked, giving a sideways glance at Sam.

"You heard," Sam laughed, grimacing slightly.

"I heard, Romeo," Bobby teased. "So…sword of Michael, huh?"

"You think we're talking about the actual sword from the actual archangel?" Dean asked.

"You better friggin' hope so," Bobby replied. He opened a book on the table to a picture of what appeared to be a woman with feathered wings, surrounded by other angels that looked more like cherubs.

"That's Michael," Bobby said, pointing to the woman. "Toughest son of a bitch they got." Sam flipped to another page, which contained another painting of Michael, looking very feminine.

"You kidding me?" Dean said. "Tough? That guy looks like Cate Blanchett."

"Well, I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley, believe me," Bobby said, wryly. "He commands the heavenly host. During the last big dust-up upstairs, he's the one who booted Lucifer's ass to the basement. Did it with that sword." He pointed to the blade depicted in Michael's hands. "So, if we can find it…"

"We can kick the devil's ass all over again," Sam finished. "All right, so where do we start?"

"Divvy up and start reading," Bobby said, pointing to other books he had brought. "What about you? Any luck with Sara?"

"No," Kat said, grabbing a book. "Obviously, I didn't do it."

"You're not off the hook for that, by the way," Dean said from his seat in the room.

"I figured," Kat said to her husband. "At any rate, a sword like that would have been kept in the armory. If they lost it, then someone stole it." They then noticed that Sam was staring at the books, not reaching for one.

"Kid, you all right?" Bobby asked him. Sam turned and faced his surrogate father head on.

"No, actually, Bobby," Sam said. "This is all my fault. I'm sorry."

"Sam," Dean warned.

"Lilith did not break the final seal," Sam continued, ignoring his brother. "Lilith was the final seal."

"Sam, stop it," Kat said.

"I killed her, and I set Lucifer free," Sam finished, further ignoring Kat.

"You what?" Bobby said.

"You guys warned me about Ruby, the demon blood, but I didn't listen. I brought this on." Bobby got up and moved closer to Sam.

"You're damn right you didn't listen. You were reckless, and selfish, and arrogant," Bobby snapped.

"I'm sorry," Sam said, somewhat lamely.

"Oh yeah? You're sorry you started Armageddon? This kind of thing don't get forgiven, boy," Bobby continued. Kat looked at Dean, confused. This didn't seem like Bobby. "If, by some miracle, we pull this off…I want you to lose my number, you understand me?" Sam nodded, his face expressionless. He was clearly expecting this, probably from Dean as well. Dean, on the other hand, didn't say anything.

"There's an old church nearby," Sam said. "Maybe I'll go read some of the lore books there."

"Yeah, you do that," Bobby snarled. Sam grabbed his coat and walked out. Dean and Kat both looked at each other, but didn't say a word.

Kat, Dean, and Bobby were all pouring through books.

"I never would have guessed that your Daddy was right," Bobby commented.

"About what?" Dean asked.

"About your brother," Bobby replied. Dean and Kat both looked at him. "What John said…You save Sam or you kill him. Maybe…"

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe we shouldn't have tried so hard to save him." Dean frowned.

"Bobby," he said.

"He ended the world, Dean," Bobby insisted. "And you and I weren't strong enough to stop him proper. Not even Kat could do it. That's on all of us. I'm just saying, your dad was right."

"Dad," Dean said, suddenly getting up and rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a ziplock bag full of business cards. "It's got to be in here somewhere," he muttered as he opened the bag and started sorting the cards.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bobby asked.

"Here," Dean said, pulling out a card and reading it. Kat and Bobby stood up. Dean walked over to Bobby, who was joined by Kat.

"What the hell is it?" Bobby asked.

"It's a card for my dad's lockup in upstate New York," Dean replied. "Read it." Bobby took the card and looked at it.

"Castle Storage, 42 Rover Hill," Bobby read.

"Castle on a hill of forty-two dogs," Dean said, taking the card back.

"Son of a bitch," Kat muttered.

"So you think your dad had the Michael sword all this time?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know," Dean replied. "I'm not sure what else Chuck would have meant."

"Yeah, okay," Bobby said. "That's good enough for me." Without warning, Bobby threw Dean through the barrier between the kitchenette and the beds. He moved over to him and slammed his head on the floor.

"Bobby, what the hell are you doing?" Kat screamed. Bobby looked at her, and Kat gasped. His eyes were completely black. Bobby threw out his hand and slammed Kat against the back wall. He then grabbed Dean by the throat and dragged him to his feet. A male and female demon both entered the room, the female leading.

"I always knew you were a big, dumb, slow, dim pain in the ass, Dean," the female sneered. "But I never dreamed you were so V.I.P." She saw Ruby's knife on the table, and picked it up. "I mean, you're gonna ice the devil? You and this little witch here? If I'd known that, I'd have ripped your pretty, pretty face off ages ago."

"Ruby," Dean snarled.

"Try again," the female smirked. "Go back further." Dean frowned slightly, and then a look of realization and confusion came across his face.

"Meg?"

"Hi," Meg said, confirming his suspicions. She jerked her head at Kat, and the male demon picked her up and held a knife to her throat. "These are the days of miracle and wonder, Dean. Our father's among us. You know we're all dreaming for the first time since we were human? It's heaven on earth. Or hell. We really owe your brother a fruit basket."

"My god, you like the sound of your own voice," Dean spat.

"But you, on the other hand, you're the only bump in the road," Meg continued. "So every demon – every single one – is just tying for a piece of you…and your little plaything here."

"Get in line," Dean smirked.

"Oh, I'm in the front of the line, baby. Let's ride," Meg said. She gave him a lavish kiss, which made Kat snarl.

"Back of off him, you black-eyed bitch," Kat growled.

"Save it, witchy-poo," Meg said. "You know, your surrogate daddy's screaming in there," she said to Dean. "And I want him to know how it feels slicing the life out of you." She handed the knife to demon Bobby, who held it to Dean's throat. Dean began to struggle.

"Bobby!" he called. Bobby looked back at Meg.

"Now!" she ordered. Bobby looked back to Dean and raised the knife to stab him.

"Bobby! No!" Dean cried.

"Bobby, please!" Kat cried. Suddenly, the black faded from Bobby's eyes. He then brought the knife down on himself, killing the demon possessing him. He collapsed, and Dean rushed Meg and the male demon. The male demon left Kat and slammed Dean into the wall, and then on to the floor. Sam came back just in time to see all of this.

"No!" He screamed.

"Heya, Sammy? You miss me?" Meg taunted. "Because I sure missed you."

"Meg?" Sam asked. Meg grinned. Sam took a swing and missed. Sam kicked him in the groin and knocked him to the ground. Kat made to tackle her, but was flung back on to the wall, this time sticking there.

"It's not so easy without those super special demon powers, huh Sammy?" Meg said to the wounded Sam. Dean managed to knock the feet out from under the male demon. He grabbed the knife from Bobby's stomach and stabbed the male demon in the chest. He then stood, causing Meg to back away, release Kat, and smoke out. Once she was gone, Dean immediately went for his wife.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kat said, massaging her back. "Go check on Sam." Dean looked at her for a minute longer, and went to his brother. Kat, in the meanwhile, headed straight for Bobby.

"Bobby?" she called, checking the wound. He had lost a lot of blood, and was fading fast.

"We need to get him to a hospital, now!" she shouted. Sam and Dean hoisted him up between them while Kat put pressure on the stab wound. The whole way to the hospital, which was short thanks to Dean speeding, Kat talked to Bobby, trying to keep him aware. They made it to the emergency room, and Sam and Dean carried him inside.

"Need some help here!" Dean called as they burst in.

"What happened?" A nurse said, rushing forward.

"He was stabbed," Sam answered.

"Can we get a gurney?" the nurse called. Two more nurses wheeled a gurney over instantly.

"Hang on, Bobby," Dean said. "Hang in there. You're gonna be okay." Together, they got Bobby on the gurney and the nurses made to wheel him away. Sam and Dean went to follow, but they were stopped by the first nurse that they met.

"Just wait here," she said.

"We can't just leave him," Sam protested desperately.

"Just don't move," she ordered. "I've got questions." All three of them blanched slightly as she walked away.

"Sammy, we got to go," Dean said, shifting toward the door.

"No, no way, Dean," Sam protested.

"The demons heard where the sword is," Dean said. "We got to get there before they do, if we're not too late already. Come on!" Sam was still reluctant as Dean left. Kat pulled on his arm slightly.

"Sam, he is in the safest place he can be right now," Kat said. "They will do their job, and we have to do ours." Sam finally relented, and they ran out.

They rushed through the night to Castle Storage, arriving in record time. They loaded guns in the trunk, and went straight for the storage locker. Sam and Kat stood watch as Dean opened the locker. The three opened the room, covering corner. What surprised them was the dead demon sprawled out on the floor.

"I see you told the demons where the sword is," a voice said from behind them. The three turned to see Zachariah, with his escorts.

"Oh, thank god," Dean drawled. "The angels are here."

"And to think…they could have grabbed it any time they wanted," Zachariah said. He waved his hand, and closed the door. "It was right in front of them."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, not lowering his gun.

"We may have planted that particular piece of prophecy in Chuck's skull, but it happened to be true," the angel explained. "We did lose the Michael sword. We truly couldn't find it. Until now. You've just hand delivered it to us."

"We don't have anything," Dean said.

"It's you, chucklehead," Zachariah smirked. "You're the Michael Sword." Dean and Kat stared at Zachariah. "What, you thought you could actually kill Lucifer?" he laughed. "You simpering wad of insecurity and self-loathing? No. You're just a human, Dean. And not much of one."

"More of a man than you'll ever be, junkless," Kat spat.

"What do you mean, I'm the sword?" Dean asked after smirking at his wife.

"You're Michael's weapon," Zachariah said, as if he were delivering a profound prophecy. "Or, father, his…receptacle."

"I'm a vessel?" Dean asked.

"You're THE vessel," Zachariah said. "Michael's vessel."

"How?" Dean asked, still confused. "Why me?"

"Because you're chosen!" Zachariah proclaimed. "It's a great honor, Dean."

"Oh, yeah," Dean scoffed. "Yeah, life as an angel condom. That's real fun. No offense, Kat," he added to his wife.

"Well, my archangel isn't a total dick," Kat said.

"Think I'll pass, thanks," Dean finished.

"Joking," Zachariah laughed. "Always joking. Well…no more jokes." Zachariah raised his hand like a gun, pointed it at Dean, and then shifted to Sam. "Bang!" There was a loud crunch, and Sam fell to the ground, shouting in pain.

"You son of a bitch," Dean snarled.

"Keep mouthing off, and I'll break more than his legs," Zachariah warned. "I am completely and utterly through with screwing around. The war has begun. We don't have our general. That's bad. Now, Michael is going to take his vessel and lead the final charge against the adversary. You understand me?"

"How many humans die in the cross fire, huh?" Dean shouted. "A million? Five? Ten?"

"Probably more," Zachariah shrugged. "If Lucifer goes unchecked, you know how many will die? All of them. He'll roast the planet alive."

"And your solution is so much better, you winged rat?" Kat spat, ready to take a shot at the angel. "You can't force this on him, anyway." Dean looked at her. "Rather than nabbing you, they have to allow it to be your choice," Kat explained. "Angels can't possess anyone without consent." Dean looked at Zachariah, who gave a resigned nod.

"Unfortunately, yes," he relented. "But there is no other way. There must be a battle. Michael must defeat the serpent. It is written."

"A lot is written, but how much of it is written by God?" Kat challenged.

"The answer's no," Dean said.

"Okay, how 'bout this?" Zachariah offered. "Your friend Bobby – we know he's gravely injured. Say yes, and we'll heal him. Say no, he'll never walk again." Sam and Kat looked at Dean, who had the same defiant look on his face that Kat had come to love.

"No."

"Then how about we heal you from…stage-four stomach cancer?" Zachariah said. Dean doubled over in pain, coughing. His hand came away bloody.

"Dean!" Kat shouted, going to his side.

"No," Dean managed to get out.

"Then how about your girl from cardiac arrest?" Kat suddenly fell to the ground, her head spinning, and the world going dark. Right before she passed out, she looked at Dean and shook her head, grasping at her chest. Then, everything went black.

As suddenly as it began, it was over.

Kat suddenly woke up to Dean calling her name. She took a massive gulp of air as Dean helped her sit up. Zachariah and the two stooges were gone. In their place…

…stood Castiel.

"You three need to be more careful," he said, his gravelly voice sounding almost motherly. Kat had never been happier to see the angel.

"Yeah, we're starting to get that," Dean said, helping Kat stand. "Your frat brothers are bigger dicks than I thought."

"I don't mean the angels," Cas said. "Lucifer is circling his vessel. And once he takes it, those hex bags won't be enough to protect you." He placed a hand on Sam and Dean's chests. The two of them gasped in pain. He did the same thing to Kat, who gasped as a burning sensation rippled through her ribcage.

"What was that?" she asked, still reeling from the sudden cardiac arrest attack.

"An Enochian sigil," Cas replied. "It'll hide you from every angel in creation, including Lucifer."

"What, did you just brand us with it?" Dean asked.

"No," Cas said. "I carved it into your ribs." Kat massaged her rib cage, noticing the small indents in the bones.

"Hey, Cas," Sam said. "Were you really dead?"

"Yes."

"Then how are you back?" Dean asked. Cas vanished before they could get an answer, leaving the three of them alone with the dead demons around them.

"Unable to walk again? Why, you snot-nosed son of a bitch! Wait 'till I get out of this bed!" The doctor fled the room as Bobby yelled. He was sitting up in bed, absolutely nothing different about his personality, which warmed the other three hunters' hearts. "I'll use my game leg to kick your friggin' ass! Yeah, you better run." When the doctor was gone, Bobby looked at his three surrogate kids. "You believe that yahoo?"

"Screw him, you'll be fine," Dean said.

"So, let me ask the million-dollar question," Sam said. "What do we do now?"

"Well, we save as many as we can for as long as we can," Bobby said. "It's bad. Whoever wins, heaven or hell, we're boned."

"What if we win?" Dean asked. Bobby looked at him, surprised. Sam and Kat both looked too, and saw a very over-confident look on the elder Winchester's face. "I'm serious. I mean, screw the angels and the demons and their crap apocalypse. Hell, they want to fight a war, they can find their own planet. This one's ours, and I say they get the hell off it. We take 'em all on. We kill the devil. Hell, we even kill Michael if we have to. But we do it our own damn selves."

"And how are we supposed to do that, genius?" Bobby challenged.

"I got no idea," Dean stated simply. "But what I do have is a GED and a give-'em-hell attitude. And I'll figure it out."

"You are nine kinds of crazy, boy," Bobby said. "Kat, will you please talk some sense into your old man?"

"You've known him longer than I have, Bobby," Kat said. "He hasn't learned to listen to me, yet." Dean laughed, put his arm around Kat, and kissed her head. He then went and patted Bobby on the shoulder.

"Listen, you stay on the mend," he told the old hunter. "We'll see you in a bit." As the three of them walked out, Bobby called out to Sam.

"I was awake," he said. "I know what I said back there. I just want you to know that…that was the demon talking. I ain't cutting you out, boy. Not ever." Sam smiled.

"Thanks, Bobby."

"You're welcome. I deserve a damn medal for this, but…you're welcome," Bobby replied. As they headed for the car, Sam started planning.

"You know, I was thinking…maybe we should go after the Colt," he said.

"Why?" Dean asked. "What difference would that make?"

"What's the Colt?" Kat asked. "As in, Samuel Colt? The gunsmith?"

"Yeah. He made a gun that could kill monsters…any monster," Dean explained. "We killed Azazel with it."

"Well, we could use it on Lucifer," Sam reasoned. "I mean, you just said back there…"

"I just said a bunch of crap for Bobby's benefit," Dean said. Sam stopped and looked at him. Kat walked to the car and leaned against it, looking at her husband. "I mean, I'll fight. I'll fight till the last man, but let's at least be honest. I mean, we don't stand a snowball's chance, and you know that. I mean, hell, you of all people know that." He walked around Sam and went for the driver's side of the car.

"Dean," Sam said. Dean stopped and looked at his brother.

"Is there something you want to say to me?" Dean seemed to think for a second before answering.

"I tried, Sammy," he said quietly. "I mean, I really tried. But I can't just keep pretending that everything's all right. Because it's not. And it's never going to be. You chose a demon over your own brother…" Sam rolled his eyes. "And look what happened."

"I would give anything," Sam insisted. "Anything…to take it all back."

"I know you would," Dean assured him. "And I know how sorry you are, I do. But man…you were the one I depended on the most…and you let me down in ways that I can't even…" He paused again, trying to find words. "I'm just…having a hard time forgiving and forgetting here, you know?"

"What can I do?" Sam pleaded.

"Honestly? Nothing." Sam nodded, looking down. Kat sighed. "I just don't…I don't think that we can ever be what we were, you know?" Sam nodded again. "I just don't think I can trust you."

"Okay, enough," Kat snapped. "Whether you trust him or not, it's time to put all of that aside for now. I'm not saying to forget it. I'm saying to leave it at the door. We have a job to do, and right now, there are only a handful of us who can do it. This is all hands on deck, you jackasses, so let's get to work!" She opened the front passenger door of the Impala and motioned to Sam to get in. When he did, she pointed at the driver's door and looked pointedly at Dean.

"And you said you couldn't convince me," Dean chuckled

"Just get in the car, dear," Kat said, before getting in herself.


	14. On a Red Horse he Rides

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 2: Good God, Y'all.

Kat and Sam leaned against the door of Bobby's hospital room. He was in a bathrobe and his signature ball cap, but he was staring blankly out the window. The news hadn't been good, and the doctors were right: the damage done had crippled Bobby from the waist down. He would never walk again. According to Sam, Bobby had bounced back from everything and anything. Now…they weren't so sure.

"It's been, like, three days now?" Dean said, approaching them with a manilla envelope in his hand. Sam nodded and sighed. "We got to cheer him up. Maybe I'll give him a backrub."

"Dean," Sam chided gently.

"Well, what then?" Dean challenged.

"Look," Sam said, turning to face his brother. "We might have to wrap our heads around the idea that Bobby might not just bounce back this time." He paused and looked at the envelope in Dean's hands. It was labeled 'X-RAY'. "What's in the envelope?"

"Went to radiology," Dean said, pulling out the contents. "Got some glamour shots." He handed the x-rays to his brother. They were a chest x-ray of the Enochian sigils on his ribs. "Let's just say the doctors are baffled." Kat looked at the pictures as Sam held them.

"They're warding, all right," she said as she read them.

"I keep forgetting you can read that," Dean commented.

"It's powerful, too," Kat continued. "Cas really went all out on this one." Sam was just speechless when his phone rang. He answered, and got a surprised look on his face. "Castiel?"

"Speak of the Devil," Dean said.

"Ah, St. Martin's Hospital. Why? Where are you….Cas?" Sam said. He hung up and shrugged. A few minutes later, Cas arrived.

"Cell phone, Cas?" Dean asked him. "Really? Since when do angels need to reach out and touch someone?"

"You're hidden from angels now – all angels. I won't be able to simply…" Cas began to explain.

"Enough foreplay," Bobby said suddenly, making all four of them jump. "Get over here and lay your damn hands on." Bobby looked over his shoulder at the group, zeroing in on Cas. "Get healing," he ordered. "Now."

"I can't," Cas finally said. Bobby turned his wheelchair around and faced the angel.

"Say again?" Bobby said. He wasn't happy, and no one could blame him.

"I'm cut off from heaven and much of heaven's power," Cas explained. "Certain things I can do. Certain things I can't."

"You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time for me to get stuck in this trap the rest of my life?" Bobby snapped.

"I'm sorry," Cas said, sounding sincere.

"Shove it up your ass," Bobby spat. He turned his chair back around to the window.

"At least he's talking, now," Dean commented quietly.

"I heard that," Bobby said over his shoulder. Cas walked back over to the other three.

"I don't have much time," Cas said. "We need to talk. Your plan to kill Lucifer."

"Yeah. You want to help?" Dean asked.

"No," Cas replied. "It's foolish, it can't be done."

"Oh, thanks for the support," Dean drawled.

"But I believe I have the solution," Cas continued, starting to get excited. "There is someone besides Michael strong enough to take on Lucifer. Strong enough to stop the apocalypse."

"Who's that?" Kat asked.

"The one who resurrected me and put you on that airplane. The one who began everything…God. I'm going to find God," Cas said, with a note of finality in his voice. Dean closed the door to the hospital room.

"God?"

"Yes."

"God."

"Yes!" Cas insisted. "He isn't in Heaven. He has to be somewhere."

"Try Mexico," Dean joked. "I hear he's on a tortilla."

"No, he's not on any flatbread," Cas replied. Kat had to stifle a laugh as she saw the joke fly right over the angel's head. Dean wasn't too amused.

"Listen, chuckles," he said. "Even if there is a God, he's either dead….and that's the generous theory…"

"He is out there, Dean," Cas pressed.

"Or he is up and kicking and doesn't give a rat's ass about any of us," Dean finished. Cas glared at him. "Look around you, man," Dean continued. "The world is in the toilet. We are literally at the end of days here, and he's off somewhere drinking booze out of a coconut, all right?"

"Enough," Cas snapped. "This is not a theological issue. It's strategic. With God's help, we can win."

"It's a pipe dream, Cas," Dean said, weary. Cas got right up in his face, his voice dangerously low.

"I killed two angels this week. My brothers. I'm hunted. I rebelled. And I did it, all of it, for you, and you failed. You and your brother destroyed the world and I lost everything, for nothing. So keep your opinions to yourself," he said, almost growling. Kat walked forward and pulled Dean back.

"Cas, can you blame him?" she reasoned. "Most of the angels he's met have been dicks. Even you. My point is, are you at all surprised that Dean has no faith in heaven? It's BS like this that made me lose faith, too. I get what you're trying to do, but you need to be ready for disappointment." Cas, Dean, and Sam all looked at her in surprise.

"You didn't drop in just to tear us a new hole," Bobby said, bringing the conversation back to the beginning. "What is it you want?"

"I did come for something," Cas relented, not taking his eyes off the witch. "An amulet."

"An amulet? What kind?" Bobby asked.

"Very rare, very powerful. It burns hot in God's presence. It'll help me find him," Cas explained.

"A God EMF?" Sam said. Cas nodded.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about," Bobby said. "I got nothing like that."

"I know," Cas said. "You don't." He turned to look at Dean, and dropped his gaze to the amulet around his neck.

"What, this?" Dean said, following Cas' gaze.

"May I borrow it?" Cas asked.

"No."

"Dean, give it to me," Cas insisted. Dean looked at Cas, and was surprised to see the serious look on his face. Slowly, he took it off.

"All right, I guess," he said, holding it out. When Cas reached for it, he pulled it back. "Don't lose it," he warned. Cas nodded and took it. "Great, now I feel naked." Kat bit her tongue at the sentence that was ready to come out of her mouth.

"I'll be in touch," Cas said, and vanished.

"When you find God, tell him to send legs!" Bobby shouted after Cas. Suddenly, Bobby's cell phone rang. Bobby picked it up and answered.

"Hello? I can't hear you. Where are you?" he asked in to the phone. Kat could hear static, along with a low, frantic male voice cutting in and out. "Colora-Colorado? River Pass, Colorado? Rufus? You there? Ruf – Rufus?" Before the call dropped, they heard the clear sound of gunshots. Bobby looked over at his three kids.

The three of them got in to the Impala and high-tailed it to River Pass, Colorado. Just outside of town, a bridge had been taken out. They got out of the car and examined it.

"This is the only road in or out," Dean said, looking at the damage. Sam pulled out his cell and held it up.

"No signal," he said.

"Rufus was right. Demons got this place locked down," Dean said, looking around.

"Looks like we're hiking in," Kat commented, heading around to the back of the Impala to dig out supplies.

"And the hits just keep on coming," Dean said, following Kat to the trunk.

Each of the hunters had a bag on their back and a gun in their hands, scanning the area as they walked down the center of the street. Aside from them, the street was deserted. They checked an overturned blue sedan, and found nothing. A nearby house had a sprinkler running.

"Something made them leave in a hurry," Kat said, motioning to the sprinkler. Sam and Dean nodded, and they carried on. Further down the street, they saw a tan car sitting right way up. The engine was running, and the radio was blasting Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum. Again, no one in the car. Sam reached in and turned the engine off. Along another street was a beautiful red classic Mustang. Kat and Sam passed it when they saw it was empty, but Dean stopped to admire the gorgeous machine and whistle. A nearby gas station had a silver minivan parked in it, and had blood on the ground next to it. The closer they got to the gas station, the more blood they saw.

"Rufus must have called from here," Kat said. The boys agreed, and scanned the area before moving on. Suddenly, a gun cocked and Dean whipped around, but quickly lowered his gun.

"Ellen?" he said.

"Hello, boys," Ellen replied. Kat had never met the woman before. She reminded her a lot of Bobby: wizened eyes, a take-no-shit attitude, and skill for hunting. "And girl," she added when she saw Kat, who lowered her gun as well.

"Ellen, what the hell is going on here?" Dean asked as Sam approached and lowered his gun too. Without a word, Ellen splashed Dean with holy water and raised her shotgun again. Dean closed his eyes for a moment, showing Ellen that there was no effect. "We're us," he said simply, wiping the water from his face. She did the same thing to Kat, who did not complain. Finally satisfied, Ellen led the three of them toward the church.

A devil's trap was drawn inside the doorway, and a line of salt crossed the threshold. When all three crossed with no problem, Ellen turned and finally greeted them.

"Real glad to see you boys," she said, pulling Dean in to a hug…and then slapping him. "The can of whoopass I ought to open on you," she snapped. Kat smiled slightly, really seeing Bobby in her now. "You can't pick up a phone?" she continued. "What are you, allergic to giving me peace of mind? I got to find out that you're alive from Rufus?"

"Sorry, Ellen," Dean said, rubbing the place where the older hunter had slapped him.

"And when are you going to introduce me to your old lady, here?" Ellen said, motioning to Kat. Dean looked at her, confused. Kat chuckled and walked forward, her hand extended.

"Hi, I'm Kat," she said. Ellen took her hand and shook it, meeting her friendly gaze with a very motherly one.

"Ellen Harvelle," she said. "Glad to see Dean finally tried to find someone sane in his life."

"Sorry to disappoint you, ma'am," Kat said with a grin. Ellen gave a wry chuckle, and then gave Dean a laser stare.

"You better out me on speed dial, kid," she said.

"Yes, ma'am," Dean replied, firmly chided. Ellen led them further into the basement of the church. "What's going on, Ellen?" Dean asked.

"More than I can handle alone," Ellen replied.

"How many demons are there?" Sam asked.

"Pretty much the whole town, minus the dead people and these guys," Ellen said. She stopped at a closed door and turned to face the three. "So this is it, right? End times?" she asked. Dean and Sam looked at each other, and at Kat. "It's got to be," she added.

"Seems like it," Sam said simply. Ellen turned and knocked.

"It's me," she called. A peephole slid open, and the door opened quickly after. A young man stood in front of them. Behind him were a handful of people, including a pastor and a pregnant woman. "This is Sam, Dean, and Dean's wife, Kat. They're hunters. Here to help."

"You guys hip to the whole demon thing?" the young man who answered the door asked.

"Yeah, are you?" Dean said.

"My wife's eyes turned back," said a grey-haired man with glasses. "She came at me with a brick. Kind of makes you embrace the paranormal." He brought his right hand to his chin, looking at his ring. Kat watched him closely. Something about him just rubbed her the wrong way, but she couldn't put a finger on what. Choosing to ignore it, she turned back to Ellen.

"All right, catch us up," Kat said.

"I doubt I know much more than you," Ellen replied. "Rufus called. Said he was in town investigating omens. All of a sudden, the whole town was possessed. Me and Jo were nearby."

"You're hunting with Jo?" Dean cut in.

"Yeah, for a while now," Ellen answered. "We got here, and the place…well, the place was like you see it. Couldn't find Rufus, then me and Jo got separated. I was out looking when I found you."

"Don't worry," Dean assured her. "We'll find her."

"Who's Jo?" Kat asked.

"My daughter," Ellen replied. Kat nodded her understanding.

"Well, if she's anything like you, I'm sure she's fine," Kat said, trying to reassure her.

"If she's anything like me, it's more cause to be worried," Ellen said, wryly.

"Either way, these people cannot just sit here," Sam said. "We got to get them out now."

"No, it's not that easy," Ellen said. "I've been trying. We already made a run for it once."

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"There used to be twenty of us," Ellen said, her voice low and solemn. The other three hunters looked around the room. Outside of the four of them, there were ten people.

"Well, there's four of us, now," Dean said, trying to get confidence up.

"You don't know what it's like out there," Ellen said, not buying it. "Demons are everywhere. We won't be able to cover everybody."

"What if we gave everyone guns?" Sam said.

"What, are you gonna arm up baby bump over there?" Dean scoffed, motioning to the very nervous pregnant woman.

"More salt we can fire at once, more demons we can keep away," Sam reasoned. Dean looked at his brother, and then over at the pastor.

"There's a sporting goods store we passed on Main on the way in. I bet they got guns," he said.

"All right, you and Kat stay. We'll go," Sam said, dropping his bag with Dean and Kat's.

"What about…" Ellen began.

"If Jo and Rufus are out there, we'll bring them back." The young man from before opened the door, and Sam and Dean left.

"So, what brought you in to the life?" Ellen asked.

"I'm an angel's vessel," Kat replied, opting for the truth.

"Come again?" Ellen asked.

"Yeah…sounds weird, I know. But, it's the truth. A few years ago, an Archangel answered my prayers and told me that I was her vessel. I met up the with boys on a case, and when she was dragged back to heaven, I stayed." The mention of the angel got the pastor's attention.

"Forgive me, but I couldn't help but overhear you," he said, coming over meekly. "Did you say that an Archangel answered your prayers?"

"Her name is Sarakiel," Kat said, taking an opportunity to spread the name around. "I've been her vessel for most of my adult life."

"So, angels are real? Heaven is real?" he asked, his eyes filled with hope.

"Can't have dark without light," Kat pointed out.

"Then, they can help us. They can answer their prayers," the pastor said, getting excited.

"Don't be so sure, padre," Kat said, wryly. "Outside of Sara and Castiel, the only angels I've met are dicks." When he looked at her in confusion, she continued. "The angels didn't bother stopping the demons. They're perfectly capable of doing so, and Sara was trying to help. Now, she's playing Locked Up Abroad: Heaven right now for trying to keep the demons where they belong." That seemed to dishearten the pastor. "Look, I know it's not what you want to hear, but right now, the angels can't help us. One is trying to find God, and the other is locked up and I don't know how to get her out. Until then, you get her wiccan vessel."

"You're not Christian?" the pastor asked.

"Nope, and don't plan on being one. And before you ask, I don't know how I was destined to be a vessel. All I know is that I was the only one strong enough to contain her power…her words," Kat replied. Nodding, the pastor pulled out his rosary and went to a corner to pray. Ellen watched him go, and then turned to Kat.

"So…what brought you to Dean?"

"The times he saved my life, the times I saved his, and his good looks and charm," Kat said, joking about the last bit. Ellen laughed at the last two, and then put a hand on Kat's arm.

"Seriously, though…I'm glad he found someone. He needs someone to be the level voice in his head every now and then."

"I would ask how you knew we were married, but if you're anything like Bobby, you're going to tell me that you looked," Kat said, her eyes glancing down to the two rings on her left hand.

"Any plans for kids?"

"I don't know," Kat answered, realizing that they had never talked about it. "Unlikely. Can't hunt with a baby." Ellen nodded, acknowledging the true statement.

"If you two ever settle, he'll be a great dad," the older hunter told her.

"I know he will."

Sam and Dean returned a short while later. Two of the people started making rock salt shotgun shells. Ellen was showing the man with glasses, Roger, how to load a shotgun. He wasn't doing so well. Dean focused on the younger man, Austin, who turned out to be a veteran. Sam worked with the pregnant woman and the man Kat assumed was her husband. While Dean traded war stories with Austin, Kat noticed Sam sitting in the corner by himself. She caught Dean's eye and glanced at Sam. Dean excused himself and walked over to talk to his brother. The conversation got heated, and Sam slammed Dean up against the wall. Kat and Ellen looked over at the two of them, causing Sam to calm down. He came back in the room quickly, looking pissed.

"What the hell was that?" Kat asked, pulling him to the side.

"Dean still doesn't trust me," Sam fumed.

"What happened out there?"

"Some demons attacked us. I used to be able to just exorcise them, but I had to use the knife. I killed a teenager, Kat," Sam lamented. "I mean…I just wish I could save people like I used to."

"At what cost, Sam?" Kat asked him. "The cost of your sanity? It wasn't good for you, and you know it. I'm glad that you quit that shit. It was killing you, Sam, and it was killing Dean."

"But what about…?"

"What did you think happened to the hosts when the demon was killed?" Kat pointed out. "It's just a fact of life. I don't enjoy it any more than you do, but we have to face facts: not everyone can be saved." Sam looked down, seemingly deciding whether to argue with Kat, or just accept that she was right. Eventually, he sighed.

"Yeah, you're right," he finally said. Kat wrapped her arms around him as best as she could.

"It sucks, Sam. I know. But, we need to worry about the innocent lives here," she said. The massive Winchester returned the hug, her small form almost disappearing.

"Thanks, Kat," he said.

"Sure thing," she replied. He pulled away and looked at her.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad Dean decided to marry you," he said with a smile.

"I am, too," Kat said. "I'm sorry you couldn't be there."

"Well, given the circumstances…hey, maybe we can do things right someday. You two, Bobby, me, Jo and Ellen…just a few friends," Sam said.

"I'd like that," Kat said thoughtfully. Suddenly, Ellen made to leave.

"I'll be back," she said.

"Where are you going?" Dean said from across the room.

"I can't just sit here on my ass," Ellen said. "My daughter's out there somewhere. I'm not back in half an hour, go. Get these people out of here." Sam, Dean, and Kat all stood up.

"No, wait, I'll go with you," Sam said.

"Woah, hold on," Dean said, stopping his brother. "Can I talk to you for a second?" The two of them leave the room for what Kat could only guess was another heated discussion. In the end, Sam went with her, while Dean and Kat stayed behind to work with their spur-of-the-moment militia.

The pastor started praying out loud, reciting "The lord is my shepherd" for those gathered. Dean and Kat just stood by solemnly, watching the scene, when there was a pounding on the door. Dean opened the peephole, and quickly unlocked the door to let Ellen in.

"Where's Sam?" Dean asked, noticing the female hunter come in alone. Ellen shook her head and sat down next to a young woman, who handed her a bottle of water.

"They took him?" the pregnant woman said. "Demons took him? Oh my god, what if they're here? The demons?"

"Could they get in?" the pastor asked.

"No," Dean answered. He grabbed a nearby shotgun and went for the door. "Everybody sit tight, I got to…" and he stopped, hand on the doorknob. He turned and looked back at the people in the room. Kat just stood and watched as he walked back to the table. "Okay, we need to get a plan together. Tell me everything," he told Ellen. She regaled them with what she and Sam saw before he was taken. They had found both Jo and Rufus, and both of them appeared to be possessed.

"Dean, one of them's in Jo," she said, her voice showing her pain. "We got to get it out without hurting her. It called me a bitch," she chuckled.

"Bruise a little easy, don't you think?" Dean said wryly.

"No, that's not what I meant," Ellen said. "It called me a black-eyed bitch." Dean and Kat looked at each other, pondering this. "What kind of demons are these?" Ellen continued. "Holy water and salt roll right off. My daughter may be an idiot, but she's not stupid. She wears an anti-possession charm. It's all kind of weird, right?"

"This whole thing's off," Dean said.

"What's your instinct?" Ellen asked, focusing on Dean.

"My instinct? My instinct is to call Bobby and ask for help. Or Sam," Dean replied. Kat grabbed her husband's hand and gave it a squeeze. She hated seeing Dean so helpless, and those were times where she needed to be close by. Dean looked at her and squeezed her hand back, giving her a small smile.

"Well, tough," Ellen said, choosing to be the tough, wizened hunter. "All you got's me and Kat, and all I got are you two. So, let's figure it out." Dean looked at the two ladies, and nodded.

"All right." Ellen smiled, seeing the Dean that she knew come back to life. "Do you know why Rufus came to town? Was there a specific omen?"

"He said something about water. That's all I know," Ellen replied. Dean thought for a minute, and then turned to the Pastor.

"Padre, you know what she's talking about? The water?" he asked.

"The river," the pastor answered. "Ran polluted all of a sudden."

"When?"

"Last Wednesday," Austin said. "And the demon thing started up the next day." Kat thought back. Wednesday was the day that Lucifer had been released.

"Anything else? Anything?" she asked.

"Maybe, but it's pretty random," Austin replied.

"Random's good," Dean encouraged.

"Shooting star…does that count?" the soldier asked. The three hunters looked at each other. "Real big," Austin continued. "Same night…Wednesday."

"That definitely counts," Dean said. He went to a bookshelf on the wall, pulled down a Bible, and started searching through it.

"So, uh, you think that all this comes from outer space?" Austin asked, sounding a little hopeful.

"This isn't X-files, pal," Dean said, continuing his search through the pages. When he found the passage he was looking for, he read it aloud.

"And there fell a great star from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell upon the river, and the name of the star was Wormwood. And many men died."

"Revelations eight ten," the pastor said, identifying the verse. "Are you saying that this is about the apocalypse?"

"You could say that," Kat answered. "And these specific omens, they're prelude to what?" The pastor took a breath before answering, as if he couldn't believe what he was about to say.

"The Four Horsemen."

"And which one rides a red horse?" Dean asked.

"War," the pastor answered.

"That cherry mustang on Main," Dean said to Kat and Ellen, who both nodded.

"You can't think that a car…" the pastor began to protest.

"It's the way I'd roll," Dean said, cutting him off. "I mean, think about it. It all makes sense. If War is a dude, and he's here, maybe he's messing with our heads."

"Turning us on each other," Ellen said, continuing the train of thought.

"You said Jo called you a black-eyed bitch," Dean said to Ellen. "They think we're demons, we think they're demons. What if there are no demons at all, and we're all just killing each other."

"Wait, just back up," the pastor cut in. "It's the apocalypse?"

"Sorry, padre," Dean said, shrugging. The pastor just looked at him, dumbstruck.

"So now, you're saying that there are no demons, and war is a guy," Austin said, trying to wrap his head around what Dean had just said.

"You believed crazy before," Dean pointed out. Austin nodded, and then someone hammered on the door.

"Open up!" shouted a male voice. "It's Roger!" Austin checked the peephole and let him in. He was sucking in air, like he had been running. "I saw them. The demons. They know we're trying to leave. They said they're gonna pick us off one by one."

"Wait, what?" Dean asked, trying to calm him down.

"I thought you said there were no demons," Austin said, looking at Dean.

"There's not," Dean replied. "Where did you go?"

"I thought someone should go out and see what's going on!" Roger insisted.

"Where did you see the demons and what did they say, exactly?" Kat asked, joining Dean's interrogation.

"We just sit here, we're going to be dead," Austin cut in, panicking.

"No, we're not," Dean insisted.

"They're gonna kill us unless we kill them first," Roger said.

"Hold on, hold on!" Dean said, trying to diffuse the situation. It was too late.

"No, man," Austin said, going for a gun. "We got people to protect. All right, the able-bodied go hunt some demons," he said. He handed a gun to another young man as Dean tried to calm him down. Kat spared a glance at Roger, who smiled, raised his right hand, and twisted the ring on it. Then, he pointed at the three of them.

"Look at their eyes!" he screamed. "They're demons!" The rest of the crowd turned to Ellen, Dean, and Kat. The pastor raised a shotgun at Dean.

"No!" Kat shouted, jumping in front of Dean. The young man grabbed her arm and pulled her away. Dean and Ellen turned and ran, as Austin tried to blast the two of them.

"Kat!"

"Dean, run!" Kat shouted back, trying to remove herself from the young man's grip. "Get off of me!"

"It's okay, you're safe now," the pregnant woman said. "That thing can't hurt you."

"That thing wasn't a demon," Kat spat. "He was my husband, and you just tried to kill him!" she screamed at Austin.

"The demon must have her under a spell," Austin said. "Padre?" The pastor pulled out a small vial of holy water and splashed Kat with it, chanting in Latin.

"Knock it off, I'm not under a spell," Kat said, shaking the holy water out of her face. She locked eyes with Roger, who was looking at her, confused.

"Tie her to a chair," Austin ordered. "We'll help her when we get back." Between the four men in the room, Kat was tied down to a chair. All the while, her eyes were on Roger.

"This is for your own good, my child," the pastor assured her.

"Those two could have been demons the entire time. All this salt and holy water talk…as far as I'm concerned, it's all crap." Austin said.

"Are you sure?" Roger asked.

"It's them or us," Austin confirmed.

"I think I saw some knives in the kitchen," Roger said. They were fetched, and the rest of the party took off. Once gone, War rounded on Kat.

"What are you?" he demanded. Kat smirked.

"You first…or do you want me to say it?" she challenged.

"I can influence anyone, human or otherwise. What makes you so special?" he said again, getting inches from her face.

"Having a hard time, War?" Kat mocked. War studied her closely, walking around her. She could feel him poking and prodding around in her head. Vital info was locked away somewhere only Sara could get to, so she didn't bother blocking him from much.

"An Archangel's vessel?" War finally said. Kat smirked again.

"You sound surprised," she said.

"No…more like amazed…because that's not all," he said. Kat whipped her head around and looked at War.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…Something else is there…something powerful…that's what protecting you," War muttered as he studied her. "Not to worry, I'll have plenty of time to figure it out later." He grabbed a knife off of the table, and left the room. As soon as Kat heard the door shut, she rallied her strength and focused.

"Ignis," she muttered. Fire burst to life from her hand, and quickly consumed the rope with which she was tied. Once free, she stomped it out, grabbed a gun, and ran out after War.

When she arrived, a firefight had already broken out. Bullets were flying, and the pastor had been shot. Ellen was struggling with Austin, and there was no sign of Dean or Sam. Abandoning the gun, Kat ran over to Austin and tackled him off of Ellen.

"What the hell are you doing?" he shouted. "She's a demon!"

"She's not a demon. This is a hallucination. You guys are just fighting each other!" she shouted back. Ellen went back to the injured pastor. Kat looked around. "Where's Roger?"

"I sent him around back," Austin said. Kat hightailed it toward the back of the house, grabbing her gun as she ran. Roger was nowhere to be found, and neither were Dean and Sam. Suddenly, there was a scream nearby. Kat ran toward it to find Dean and Sam standing next to the red mustang. War was clutching his hand, which was missing four fingers. Suddenly, they were gone. Dean bent down and picked up a bloody ring from the ground.

"Dean!" Kat called. Dean looked up and saw his wife running toward him. He pulled her in to an embrace, inhaling her familiar, calming scent.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine. What about the two of you?" she asked.

"We're okay," Sam answered as she hugged him, too.

With the town on its way back to normal, the three of them hit a rest stop to recoup. As they sat at a picnic table, Dean examined War's ring.

"So…pit stop at Mount Doom?" he joked. Kat snickered, but Sam didn't make a sound.

"Dean…" he began.

"Sam, let's not," Dean said, trying to stop the conversation.

"No, listen. This is important. I know you don't trust me," Sam began. Dean looked away from his brother, but Sam kept going. "Just, now I realize something; I don't trust me either." Kat's eyes grew wide. "From the minute I saw that blood, only thought in my head...and I tell myself it's for the right reasons, my intentions are good, and it, it feels true, you know? But I think, underneath...I just miss the feeling. I know how messed up that sounds, which means I know how messed up I am. Thing is, the problem's not the demon blood, not really. I mean, I, what I did, I can't blame the blood or Ruby or...anything. The problem's me. How far I'll go. There's something in me that...scares the hell out of me, Dean. In the last couple of days, I caught another glimpse..."

"So what are you saying?" Dean asked, cutting him off.

"I'm in no shape to be hunting. I need to step back, 'cause I'm dangerous," Sam said. Kat's stomach dropped. "Maybe it's best we just…go our separate ways." Kat looked at her husband, silently begging him to not let Sam go.

"Well, I think you're right," Dean said, much to Kat's dismay.

"Dean!" she gasped.

"I was expecting a fight," Sam said, sounding mildly surprised.

"The truth is I spend more time worrying about you than about doing the job right. And I just…I can't afford that, you know? Not now," Dean explained.

"Dean, no!" Kat pleaded. Sam just nodded, ignoring Kat.

"I'm sorry, Dean."

"I know you are, Sam." As Sam stood up, Dean offered something that showed Kat just how much Dean was hurting. "Hey, do you, uh, wanna take the Impala?"

"It's okay," Sam said. He took a few steps, and turned back to Dean and Kat.

"Take care of each other, you two," he said.

"Yeah, you too, Sammy." As Sam got his stuff out of the Impala, Kat jumped up and ran to him.

"Sam, please don't go," she pleaded. "You're safest here. Please, Sam!" She was on the verge of tears. Sam's gentle brown eyes met hers with a sad smile. He leaned down and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Kat. Take care of my brother…please," he whispered. Kat started chokeing up, but she hugged him back.

"I love you, too, Sam. I will." Sam pulled away, still smiling at her. He nodded one more time to Dean, and walked over to a pickup truck. He had a short conversation with the driver, and got in the passenger side. As the truck drove away, Kat and Dean just watched it go. Dean showed nothing, but Kat was a mess. Those two needed each other as much as she needed Dean.

She had already lost family once…and it was happening all over again.


	15. Not the Painter or the Ninja Turtle

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 3: Free to be You and Me.

Dean and Kat kept working cases. She could tell that this was Dean's way of coping, but she could tell that it wasn't working. Every time she would try and talk to him about it, he would abruptly change the subject and move on. It was getting annoying, but the amount of work was keeping her from bringing it up often.

One night, in a motel room, Dean was in the bathroom, cleaning off his jacket. Kat was doing work on her laptop, having come back from her "extended leave of absence". Because she refused to hack credit cards, she resumed her work as a translator. Suddenly, she heard Dean start, followed by a "Don't do that!"

"Hello, Dean," a familiar gravelly voice said. Kat got up and walked to the bathroom. Castiel was standing there.

"Cas, we've talked about this," Dean said as he faced the angel, who was inches from him. "Personal space?"

"My apologies," Cas said, taking a step back. He then turned and saw Kat. "Hello, Kat."

"Hi, Cas. How'd you find us? I thought we were warded against angels?" Kat said.

"You are. Bobby told me where you two were," Cas replied. He then looked around the room and realized how empty it was. "Where's Sam?"

"Me and Sam are taking separate vacations for a while," Dean answered, before Kat could say a word. "You find God yet? More importantly, can I have my damn necklace back, please?"

"No, I haven't found him. That's why I'm here," Cas replied. "I need your help."

"With what, a God hunt? Not interested," Dean scoffed.

"It's not God, it's someone else," Cas said.

"Who?" Kat asked.

"Archangel. The one who killed me," Cas answered. "His name is Raphael."

"You were wasted by a teenage mutant ninja turtle?" Dean said. Kat glared at him, but Cas seemed to ignore it well enough.

"I've heard whispers that he's walking the earth. This is a rare opportunity," Cas continued.

"For what? Revenge?" Kat asked.

"Information." Dean walked back over to the sink and started cleaning his knife.

"So, what, you think you can find this dude and he's just gonna spill God's address?" Dean said as he cleaned.

"Yes, because we're gonna trap him and interrogate him," Cas answered. Dean stopped and faced the angel.

"You're serious about this," he said.

"Cas, you realize how insane this sounds?" Kat said, putting a hand on the angel's shoulder. "Raphael's powerful. What makes you think he's gonna let you catch him?"

"Give us one good reason why we should do this," Dean said, starting to circle Cas.

"Because you two are vessels of Archangels, and no angels will dare harm you," Cas stated.

"No offense, Cas, but we've already proved that theory wrong," Kat said, thinking back to Zachariah's attempted murder.

"So, we're your bullet shield?" Dean said. "It's bad enough you want to use me like that, but my wife? Hell no."

"I need your help because you two are the only ones who will help me," Cas said finally. "Please." Dean looked at Kat, who shrugged.

"All right, fine," Dean said. "Where is he?"

"Maine," Cas answered. "Let's go." He raised his hand, ready to teleport the three of them. Dean leaned away.

"Woah. Last time you zapped me someplace I didn't poop for a week," Dean said. "We're driving."

They reached Waterville, Maine. The three stepped out of the impala across the street from the Sheriff's Department. Dean and Kat had changed into their fed suits, and Cas…wore what he always wore.

"And we're here why?" Dean asked as he handed Kat her ID.

"A deputy sheriff laid eyes on the archangel," Cas said, looking around.

"And he still has eyes?" Cas glared at Dean. "All right, what's the plan?"

"We'll…tell the officer that he witnessed an angel of the Lord, and the officer will tell us where the angel is," Cas said simply. Kat and Dean both looked at him, skepticism all over their faces.

"Seriously?" Dean asked.

"You're going to walk in there and tell him the truth?" Kat asked.

"Why not?" Cas asked both of them. Dean handed Kat Cas' ID, which Kat placed in the inside pocket of Cas' blazer.

"Because, we're humans," Dean said. He then buttoned up Cas' shirt collar and adjusted his tie.

"And when humans want something really, really bad, we lie," Kat continued.

"Why?"

"Because that's how you become President," Dean said, somewhat emphatically. Kat rolled her eyes and followed her husband in to the sheriff's department. Cas was close behind.

Once inside, they were pointed to a young African American deputy.

"Deputy Framingham?" Dean called. The young man turned around. Dean and Kat held up their IDs.

"Hi. Alonzo Mosely, FBI. These are my partners, Eddie Moscone and Gina DiCarlo." The deputy saw Kat's ID, but Cas was putting on his best FBI face and got distracted. "Also FBI," Dean said, trying to prompt Cas. Cas finally reached into his blazer and pulled out his ID…upside down. Dean sighed and corrected it. "He's, uh, he's new. Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Yeah, sure. Talk here, though," he replied, pointing to his right ear as he led the three of them in to his office. "Hearing's all blown to hell in this one."

"That happen recently?" Kat asked as they all sat down.

"Yeah. Gas station," Framingham replied. "Why you're here, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Dean answered. "You mind, uh, just running us through what happened?"

"A call came in," the deputy began. "Disturbance at the Pump and Go on Route 4."

"What kind of disturbance?" Kat asked.

"Would not have believed my eyes if I hadn't seen it myself. We're talking a riot. Full scale," Framingham replied.

"How many?" Dean asked.

"Thirty, forty, in all-out, kill-or-be-killed combat?" Framingham said.

"Any idea what set them off?"

"It's angels and demons probably," Castiel said. The deputy looked at Castiel, confused. Dean and Kat both silently willed Cas to shut up, but he clearly didn't get the message. "They're skirmishing all over the globe."

"Come again?" Damn it, Cas, Kat thought. "What did he say?" Framingham asked Dean and Kat.

"Nothing, nothing," Dean said, trying to talk over Cas, who repeated 'Demons'. "Demons, you know, drink, adultery," Dean continued. "We all have our demons, Walt."

"I guess," Framingham said, not completely convinced.

"Anyway, what happened next?" Kat asked, trying to keep the ball rolling as Dean glared at Cas.

"Freaking explosion, that's what," Framingham said. "They said it was one of those underground gas tanks, but, uh, I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Wasn't your usual fireball. It was, um," he paused, trying to find the right word.

"Pure white," Cas offered.

"Yeah. Gas station was leveled. Everyone was…it was just horrible," Framingham said, his face getting serious at the memory. "And I see this one guy, kneeling, real focused – like, not a damn scratch on him."

"You know him?" Dean asked.

"Donnie Finneman. Mechanic there."

"Let me guess, he just, uh, vanished in to thin air?" Dean said.

"Uh, no, Kolchack," Framingham said, snickering at the ludicrous idea. "He's down at Saint Pete's." The three of them thanked the deputy, and went to the hospital.

At the hospital, they found Donnie in a wheelchair, catatonic.

"I take it that's not Raphael anymore," Dean said as they looked at the poor man.

"Just an empty vessel," Cas confirmed.

"So this is what I'm looking at if Michael jumps in my bones?"

"No, not at all," Cas replied. "Michael is much more powerful. It'll be far worse for you." Dean looked away, and then looked at Kat.

"How come Sara doesn't leave you like this?" he asked.

"I don't know," Kat replied. "I guess it's just because she's careful. Or, I can take it better than Donnie here can."

"Or they're just more powerful than she is," Cas said. Kat whipped her head around and glared at the angel.

"Sara could kick their asses six ways to Sunday," Kat snapped.

"Then how did they lock her up so easily?" Cas fired back. Pissed, Kat just stormed out, unable to even look at the angel. Dean's question stuck in her head as she sat there, fuming.

Why didn't Sarakiel leave me a drooling mess whenever she was done?

A few minutes later, Dean came out.

"Cas has to run an errand before we can perform the ritual. We're gonna find somewhere to crash for the night," he said. Kat nodded and began to walk out, but Dean grabbed her arm. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Kat said, trying to brush him off. Her husband maintained his grip, giving her a stern stare.

"No, you're not," he said, confirming what Kat already knew. "You're beat up about Sam, and because of this whole Archangel thing, you're beat up about Sara now, too." Kat looked down, unable to meet his stern green eyes.

"Not here, Dean," she said quietly. "Can we talk about it at home?" Dean nodded, and the two of them left.

They found an abandoned house to crash in for the night. Once settled, Dean sat down at a table and motioned for Kat to do the same.

"All right, talk to me," he said as she did as she was told. "What's eating you?" Kat considered her words carefully before she began to speak.

"Dean, I don't have any close family. My parents disowned me when I was a teenager and I haven't spoken to my little brother in years. You, Sam, and Bobby were the closest things I had to a real family before we got married. Now that we are, I finally have a family again. I have a little brother that I can talk to, I have a Dad I can go to when I need advice, and I have a husband who loves me, and who I love with all my heart. Sam leaving felt like losing my little brother all over again. I'm sick of losing the people that I love, Dean. And when you didn't stop him…That hurt even more." Dean looked at the table, unable to meet his wife's gaze. He knew that she was right, and she could see it.

"Kat, he made…"

"Made his choice, yeah, I know," Kat interrupted him, looking away. "You've said that already, and from what Bobby told me, your dad said the same thing when Sam left for Stanford."

"We're not talking about that," Dean said, a little too harshly.

"Bobby was right, Dean. Don't be like your dad…please," Kat said. The two of them got into a staring match for a few seconds before Dean got up and started thumbing through his dad's journal. They sat in silence for another ten minutes before Cas appeared, a ceramic jar in his hand.

"Where've you been?" Dean asked, setting the journal down on the table.

"Jerusalem," Cas replied.

"Oh, how was it?" Kat asked.

"Arid," Cas said, setting the jar on the table.

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"It's oil," Cas said. "It's very special. Very rare."

"It's Holy oil, isn't it?" Kat said, looking at the jar. Cas nodded.

"Okay, so we trap Raphael with a nice vinaigrette?" Dean scoffed.

"Holy oil, when lit, creates Holy fire," Kat said. "No angel can cross holy fire, no matter how powerful." Dean looked at Cas, who nodded confirmation.

"So this ritual of yours," Dean said. "When does it got to go down?"

"Sunrise," Cas said.

"Tell me, something," Dean said, sitting down at the table with Cas and Kat. "You keep saying we're gonna trap this guy. Isn't that kinda like trapping a hurricane with a butterfly net?"

"No, it's harder," Cas replied.

"Do we have any chance of surviving this?" Dean asked.

"You two do," Cas said, nodding at Kat as well.

"So odds are you're a dead man tomorrow," Kat said.

"Yes."

"Well, last night on earth," Dean said. "What are your plans?" He got up and looked around the house.

"I just thought I'd sit here quietly."

"Come on," Dean goaded. "Anything? Booze, women?" Cas looked away from Dean, suddenly uncomfortable.

"You have been with a woman before, right? Or an angel at least?" Kat asked. Cas awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"You mean to tell me you've never been up there doing a little cloud-seeding?" Dean asked, bending over to make sure he could hear Cas, and that Cas could hear him.

"Look, I've never had the occasion, okay?" Cas finally said. Dean stood up, looking around. He got a look on his face that Kat didn't like.

"Dean," she warned.

"All right," he said, ignoring his wife, and grabbing his jacket. "Let me tell you something. There are two things I know for certain. One, Bert and Ernie are gay. Two, you are not gonna die a virgin. Not on my watch. Let's go." He bolted out the door. Cas looked at Kat, who just sighed and grabbed her own coat.

"Come on, he's not gonna let up," she said. Cas got up and started to follow Kat out. Then, he stopped.

"What about Sarakiel?" Kat froze in her tracks. Cas was worried about Sara. She turned around and faced the angel.

"Cas…are you waiting for Sara?" she asked quietly. He looked at her and nodded, as if the question had a very obvious answer. Kat looked down, shocked and happy at the same time. A honk from outside broke the reverie. "Okay, let's just go with it for now. Maybe nothing will come of it."

As the three of them sat there, drinking, Kat kept an eye on the terrified angel. Dean had his arm wrapped protectively around Kat's shoulders, but Cas sat opposite them.

"Hey, relax," Dean said, trying to calm his friend down.

"This is a den of iniquity," Cas said quietly. "I shouldn't be here."

"Dude, you full-on rebelled against heaven," Dean pointed out. "Iniquity is one of the perks." Suddenly, a blonde woman in a white negligee started walking over. "Showtime," Dean said.

"Hi," she said, looking at Cas. "What's your name?" Cas did his absolute best to not look at the woman.

"Cas," Dean answered for him. "His name is Cas. What's your name?"

"Chastity," she answered, flashing a smile. Kat almost choked on her beer at the irony.

"Chastity. Wow," Dean said, smiling at Cas, who was taking a giant swig of beer. "Is that kismet or what, buddy? Well, he likes you, and you like him, so dayenu."

"Come on, baby," Chastity said, taking Cas by the hand and leading him in to the back. Before he left, Dean pulled him aside and gave him a pep talk, handing him a handful of cash. As Cas walked away, Dean turned back to his wife with a smile. It went away quickly when he saw the glare on her face.

"What?"

"You know he was waiting for Sara, right?" she said as he sat back down.

"Seriously? Who waits until marriage anymore? You didn't," Dean said when Kat gave a perfect imitation of Sam's bitch face.

"Dean, I'm not an angel of the Lord," Kat replied. Dean was about to say something else, but was interrupted by a scream coming from the back room. They ran back to find Chastity screaming at Cas. Kat watched the girl walk away while Dean went to Cas.

"What the hell did you do?" he asked.

"I don't know," Cas replied. "I just looked in her eyes and told her that it wasn't her fault that her father Gene ran off. It was because he hated his job at the post office." Kat turned and looked at Cas, an eyebrow cocked and a smile on her face. She should have known that it would never happen.

"Oh no, man" Dean lamented. "This whole industry runs on absent fathers. It's the natural order." The door at the end of the hallway opened and two bouncers came through.

"Dean," Kat said.

"We should go," Dean said, grabbing Cas and heading for the fire exit. The three of them made it outside with Dean laughing like a fool.

"What's so funny?" Cas asked him.

"Oh, nothing," Dean said. "Whoo, it's been a long time since I've laughed that hard. It's been more than a long time…years…" Kat watched his face fall as he realized just how long it had been.

"Well, you have Kat here to make you laugh, now," Cas pointed out with a small smile. Dean looked at him in surprise, and then looked at Kat. The look in his green eyes was as if he was seeing Kat for the first time. Kat smiled as Dean walked over and gave her a strong, passionate kiss.

"He's right," Kat said softly when they broke the kiss. "You've got me to make you laugh." Dean held her face, resting his forehead on hers. Kat placed her hands over his and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. A sudden clang behind them broke the moment. Cas had tripped over a garbage can and was trying to set it back upright. The Winchesters laughed again, and the three of them returned to the abandoned house for the night.

Sunrise found them back in Donnie's hospital room. Dean shut the door and the blinds as Cas poured a circle of holy oil around Donnie's wheelchair. The poor man was still catatonic in it, completely unaware of what was happening around him.

"When the oil burns, no angle can touch or pass through the flames, or he dies," Cas explained as he finished.

"Okay, so we trap him in a steel cage of holy fire, but one question: how the hell do we get him here?" Dean asked.

"Very simple," Cas replied. "There's, well, almost an open phone line between a vessel and his angel. One just has to know how to dial." As Cas began to chant in Enochian in Donnie's ear, Kat realized what she had been missing all along. She was psychically linked to Sara. She just never managed to figure out how to dial. Storing that for later, she listened as Cas finished his chant. "I'm here, Raphael," she taunted. "Come and get me, you little bastard." He then stepped out of the circle, and they waited.

"Just out of curiosity," Dean said. "What is the average customer wait time to speak to an archangel?"

"Be ready," Cas replied. He lit a match and dropped it on the oil, which burst in to flame.

Then, they waited.

"Well, that's a day I'll never get back," Dean said as they drove up to the house. They had waited there all day for Raphael to come, and nothing happened. Dean was, needless to say, pissed off. As they walked in, Cas suddenly caught them in the doorway.

"Wait," he said. There was a flash of bright light. Donnie was inside the house. Lightning flashed around him, outlining the shape of a pair of wings. Lightbulbs all around the house shattered.

"Castiel," Donnie, now Raphel, said, his voice deep. It triggered a buried memory inside Kat's mind. She could see Raphael in heaven, taunting her…or, Sarakiel, as she quickly realized.

"Raphael," Castiel responded. The three of them walked closer.

"And I thought you were supposed to be impressive," Dean taunted. "All you do is black out the room."

"And the Eastern seaboard," Raphael added with a satisfied smirk. Lightning flashed outside. He was kicking up a storm. "It is a testament to my unending mercy that I do not smite you here and now."

"Or maybe you're full of crap," Dean said. "Maybe you're afraid God will bring Cas back to life again and smite you and your candy-ass skirt. By the way, hi, I'm Dean."

"I know who you are," Raphael said. "And now, thanks to him, I know where both of you are." He shot a glowering look at Kat, who met his gaze with a glare of her own. "I could just smite her. No one would miss her."

"Good luck with that, big boy," she spat back.

"You won't kill either of them," Cas said. "You wouldn't dare."

"But I will take him to Michael. Her, I couldn't care less. Sarakiel can stay locked up in Heaven for all eternity as far as I'm concerned. She is only my stepsister, after all."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean," Kat growled, moving toward the archangel. Cas caught her and held her back.

"He is trying to provoke you. That's all," Cas said quietly, not taking his eyes off of Raphael. Kat struggled for a moment, but relented when she saw the satisfied smirk on Raphael's face.

"Well, I hate to tell you, I'm not going anywhere with you," Dean said, cracking open a beer.

"Surely you remember Zachariah giving you stomach cancer?" Raphael asked.

"Yeah, that was, that was hilarious."

"Well, he doesn't' have anything close to my imagination," Raphael said smugly.

"Yeah?" Dean asked. "I bet you didn't imagine one thing."

"What?"

"We knew you were coming, you stupid son of a bitch." Dean lit a lighter and threw it to the floor. A circle of holy fire flared to life around Raphael. When the circle completed itself, Raphael glared at Dean. "Don't look at me. It was his idea," Dean said, motioning to Cas. Cas looked at Dean with his own rendition of Sam's bitch face, which would have made Kat laugh if she weren't so concentrated on the archangel in front of her.

"Where is He?" Cas asked, leaving Dean be for now.

"God?" Raphael asked. "Didn't you hear? He's dead, Castiel. Dead. There's no other explanation. He's gone for good."

"You're lying," Cas snarled.

"Am I?" Raphael challenged. "Do you remember the twentieth century? Think the twenty first is going to be any better? Do you think God would have let any of that happen if He were alive?"

"Oh yeah? Well then who invented the Chinese basket trick?" Dean asked, trying to trip Raphael up in his own way.

"Careful," the archangel warned. "That's my father you're talking about, boy."

"Yeah, who would be so proud to know His sons started the friggin apocalypse," Dean spat.

"Who ran off and disappeared? Who left no instructions and a world to run?" Raphael asked.

"Sara picked it up pretty quickly," Kat said. "The way I remember it, she was running things up there pretty smoothly."

"Sarakiel is nothing but a mistake. A glorified secretary. The only reason she wasn't bonded off to someone was because she was too willful and no one would have her," Raphael sneered.

"Shows how much you know," Kat spat. "She could run circles around you in heaven, and you just didn't want to admit it."

"This is funny to you?" Raphael asked. "You're living in a godless universe."

"And?" Dean said. "What, you and the other kids just decided to throw and apocalypse while He was gone?"

"We're tired," Raphael said, and sounding it as well. "We just want it to be over. We just want…paradise."

"So what, God dies and makes you the boss and you decide you can do whatever you want?" Dean challenged.

"Yes, and whatever we want, we get," Raphael replied with a note of finality. The windows of the house burst in as the storm outside grew. Rain spattered Kat, Dean, and Cas, but none of them noticed.

"If God is dead, why have I returned?" Cas pointed out. "Who brought me back?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe Lucifer raised you?" Raphael asked.

"No," Cas said, looking a little stunned.

"Think about it," Raphael continued. "He needs all the rebellious angels he can find. You know it adds up."

"Lucifer has all the demons he needs," Kat said. "He doesn't need Cas. I think you need him more than Lucifer ever would." Raphael just smirked.

"Let's go," Cas said.

"Castiel, I'm warning you," Raphael called out. "Do not leave me here. I will find you."

"Maybe one day," Cas replied, shouting over the storm. "But today, you're my little bitch." Dean and Kat both looked at Cas, impressed.

"What he said," Dean said before following Cas out.

"Give Michael a message for me," Kat said. "I will free Sarakiel, and when I do, I'm coming for him. And then I'm coming for you." She could hear Raphael laughing as she stormed out. His laughter continued to echo in her ears as she climbed in to the Impala.

As they drove away, Cas just sat there, silent.

"You okay?" Dean asked him. When he didn't respond, Dean kept trying. "Look, I'll be the first to tell you that this little crusade of yours is nuts. But I do know a little something about missing fathers."

"What do you mean?" Cas asked, coming out of his reverie.

"I mean there were times when I was looking for my dad when all logic said that he was dead," Dean explained. "But I knew in my heart he was still alive. Who cares what some ninja turtle says, Cas, what do you believe?" Cas sat for a moment before he responded.

"I believe he's out there."

"Good, then go find him," Dean said.

"What about you?"

"What about me? I don't know," Dean replied. "Honestly, I'm good. I can't believe I'm saying that, but I am, I'm really good."

"Even without your brother?" Cas asked, finally addressing the elephant in the room.

"Especially without my brother," Dean answered. "I mean, I spent so much time worrying about the son of a bitch. I mean, I've had more fun with you in the past twenty-four hours than I've had with Sam in years, and you're not that much fun. It's funny, you know, I've been so chained to my family, but now that I'm alone, hell, I'm happy." When he looked over in the driver's seat, he saw Kat climbing up from the back.

"You're happy now that you're alone, huh?" she said quietly.

"Kat, you know what I meant," Dean said.

"No, Dean, I don't. Look, I get it. You were so used to being alone that now, it comes naturally. But what you need to remember is that you're never alone. Between me, Cas, Bobby, and Sam - don't look at me like that, yes Sam – you've always got someone there for you. The sooner you realize it, the better off you're going to be." Dean sat in silence for a while, pondering what Kat said.

"You're right," he finally said quietly. "I'm not used to always having someone like you there. I need to change that. You're my wife and I love you. It's not fair to you that I keep doing what I've always done. I'm gonna work on it, I promise. I might need some help, though." Kat regarded him for a moment, and then put a hand on his thigh.

"I think I can do that."

Kat went to her grove that night, and Castiel was waiting. They had had a wordless exchange in the car before he left, and he was there, just as he said he would be.

"I'm sorry for what happened back there, Kat," Cas began before Kat could even get a word out.

"I need to know how to get in touch with Sara," Kat said, waving off the events of that day. "You said there was an open phone line between an angel and their vessel. We just had to know how to dial. How do I dial?" Cas opened his mouth to answer, and then a strange look came over his face.

"I don't know," he said quietly.

"What?"

"Every angel knows how to call one of the archangels. It's programmed in to our minds. Sarakiel's summoning isn't. I don't know why, but I don't know it." Kat felt her breath hitch in her chest. Tears welled in her eyes as she sat on the ground, feeling defeated.

"So the only way for me to do it is with that spell?" she asked, looking at the ground. Castiel sat next to her and put an arm around her.

"I'm sure there is another way, Kat," he said. "I will do whatever it takes to prevent it from coming to that."

"No, Cas," Kat said with a sniff, meeting his blue eyes with a fiery gaze. "If it comes to that, you need to keep your promise to me."

"But Kat, I…"

"Promise me, Castiel!" Cas regarded her for a moment, and then sighed.

"I promise."

"Thank you," she said. The thought still pushed her past her limit, and coupled with the exhaustion she felt that finally crashing down, she began to cry. Castiel held her close and pressed a kiss to her temple. For a moment, the angel felt like he was holding Sara again.

In the real world, Kat was crying too. Dean woke up at the sound. When she wouldn't wake up, he figured she was in a trance, so he pulled her close. Instinctively, she cuddled up to him, nestling her head underneath his chin. She calmed slightly, but not before whispering his name in her sleep.

In her mind, Kat suddenly felt warm. She knew Dean had pulled her close, and coupled with Cas, she felt calm and at peace for the first time in a long time. Eventually, she fell asleep in her mind as well. Cas didn't care. He knew that this was only her vessel, but it felt like he was holding Sarakiel again. He held on as long as he could, but as Kar fell asleep, the trance started to fade. Cas laid her down on the fading soft grass and walked away.

He had to find God. He had to.


	16. A Peek into the Future

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 4: The End.

Dean and Kat pulled up in front of the Century Hotel in Kansas City. A man was out front, trying to hand out religious pamphlets. As they got out, he stopped them.

"Good evening, folks," he said. "Have you taken time to think about God's plan for you?" Dean stopped and looked at him.

"Too friggin' much, pal," he said, and they walked in.

Once settled, Cas called. He said that he had a lead on the Colt. Kat had asked about the Colt earlier, and discovered that they had it, and it was stolen by a Supernatural artifacts dealer, and sold to a demon. Because it could kill anything, Dean still believed that it was a viable option.

"We're talking about the Colt, right?" Dean asked Cas on the phone. "I mean, as in the Colt?"

"We are," Cas confirmed.

"Well, that doesn't make any sense," Dean said. "I mean, why would the demons keep a gun around that, uh, kills demons?" There was a loud noise on the other end of the line.

"I didn't…I didn't get that," Cas said, sounding frustrated.

"You know, it's kind of funny, talking to a messenger of God on a cellphone," Dean laughed. "It's, you know, like watching a Hell's Angel ride a moped."

"This isn't funny, Dean," Cas shouted. "The voice says I'm almost out of minutes."

"Okay, all right," Dean relented. "I'm telling you, Cas, the mooks have melted down the gun by now."

"Well, I hear differently," Cas replied. "And if that's true, and if you are still set on the insane task of killing the devil, this is how we do it."

"Okay, where do we start?" Kat asked over speakerphone.

"Where are you two now?" Cas asked.

"Kansas City," Dean said, grabbing the room key. "Century Hotel, room 113."

"I'll be there immediately," Cas said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Dean said quickly. "Come on, man, we just drove sixteen hours straight, okay? We're human. And there's stuff we have to do."

"What stuff?" Cas asked, confused, and slightly annoyed.

"Eat, for example," Kat said.

"Sleep, too. We just need, like, four hours once and a while," Dena added. "Okay?"

"Yes," Cas replied.

"You can pop in tomorrow morning, Cas," Kat said.

"Yes, I'll just," Cas began to say, but Dean hung up.

"That wasn't nice," Kat scolded him.

"What? He doesn't know when to stop," Dean said, defending himself.

"He's not human, Dean. He doesn't know better," Kat pointed out as she laid down on the bed next to him. Dean rolled on to his side and looked at Kat.

"Good point," he conceded. Kat rolled on her side to face Dean. She could see how tired he was, his gorgeous green eyes not sparkling like they normally did. Her eyes possibly looked the same, just based on how little sleep either of them had gotten. With a small smile, Dean reached over and gently caressed her cheek. Kat closed her eyes and leaned in to his hand slightly. "I'm glad I've got you here," he murmured.

"I'm glad I've got you, too," Kat murmured back. They shifted toward each other and met in a sweet, loving kiss. The kiss slowly escalated, and for the first time since they were married, Kat and Dean Winchester made love.

ZZZZZZZ

A vibrating phone woke the Winchesters from sleep. Dean groaned as he rolled over and grabbed his phone, flipping it open angrily.

"Damn it, Cas, I need to sleep," he grumbled sleepily. Kat gave a heavy sigh, rolling over and wrapping her arm around Dean's waist.

"Dean, it's me," Sam's voice said on the other end of the line.

"Sam?" Dean said, surprise coming through the groggy tone. "It's quarter past four," he said, glancing at his watch. Kat was instantly awake at the sound of Sam's name and voice.

"This is important," Sam said. Dean hit a button and put it on speakerphone.

"You're on speaker," Dean said.

"Hi, Kat," Sam said.

"Hi, Sam," Kat replied, grateful to hear his voice again. "You okay?"

"I wish I was," Sam replied. "I had a visitor last night."

"Who?" Dean asked.

"Lucifer." Kat's stomach dropped, and Dean looked confused.

"How? You're warded," Kat said.

"It was in a dream. He said he couldn't find me," Sam explained.

"Why would he want to find you?" Dean asked.

"Because, apparently…I'm his vessel." Dean showed no emotion, but Kat looked horrified. Dean went to the mini fridge, and pulled out a beer.

"So, you're his vessel, huh? Lucifer's wearing you to the prom?" Dean said, sounding a little too nonchalant for Kat's comfort.

"That's what he said," Sam replied.

"Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in, huh, Sammy?" Dean said, a satisfied smile on his face.

"So, that's it?" Sam asked, sounding just as pissed as Kat felt. "That's your response?"

"What are you looking for?"

"I don't know, a little panic maybe?"

"I guess I'm a little numb to the earth-shattering revelations at this point," Dean said, shrugging.

"What are we gonna do about it?"

"What do you want to do about it?" Dean asked.

"I want back in, for starters," Sam said. Kat smiled and looked at Dean, who didn't seem sure.

"Sam," he said.

"I mean it," Sam insisted. "I am sick of being a puppet to these sons of bitches. I'm gonna hunt them down, Dean."

"Oh, so, we're back to revenge, then are we?" Dean said, starting to get angry. "Yeah, 'cause that worked out so well the last time."

"Not revenge," Sam said. "Redemption."

"So, what, you're just gonna walk back in and we're gonna be the dynamic duo again?" Dean scoffed.

"Look, Dean," Sam said. "I can do this. I can. I'm gonna prove it to you."

"Look, Sam," Dean began. "It doesn't matter. Whatever we do. I mean, it turns out that you and me, we're the, uh, fire and the oil of the Armageddon. You know, on that basis alone, we should just pick a hemisphere. Stay away from each other for good."

"Dean, stop," Kat said, finally speaking up. "You two can fight this."

"Yeah, we can," Dean agreed. "But not together. We're not stronger when we're together. I think we're weaker. Because whatever we have between us – love, family, whatever it is – they are always gonna use it against us. And you both know that. Yeah, we're better off apart. We got a better chance at dodging Lucifer and Michael and this whole damn thing, if we just go our own ways."

"Dean, don't do this," Sam pleaded.

"Bye, Sam," Dean said, and hung up. Kat got pissed and pushed herself off of the bed.

"You can be a massively stubborn son of a bitch, Dean Winchester," she spat, before heading for the bathroom with her clothes in her hands. As she dressed, she just fumed. Sam wants to come back, and Dean is being an ass, she kept thinking. When she finished dressing, she walked back out to give Dean more of a what-for.

But he was gone.

Kat ran around the room, looking for Dean. He was nowhere. His bag, the keys, even his gun, were all still in the room.

"Dean?" she called, checking the room again. "Dean?" she called louder.

"DEAN!"

Sarakiel's eyes shot open. She sat up in bed and looked around. Castiel was sleeping next to her. Their small cabin was filled with morning sunlight. They had been living at Camp Chitaqua for five years now. Part of the apocalypse was the spread of the Croatoan virus, which reduced humans to slobbering, murderous monsters. Their headquarters at the Camp was one of the safest places in the area.

Today, something was wrong. A familiar presence suddenly appeared within her senses, but she couldn't pinpoint it. Carefully, she got up and got dressed. As she pulled on her jacket, Castiel stirred. Weary blue eyes opened and met her gray ones.

"Morning," he said, his gravelly voice groggy with sleep.

"Morning," Sara replied.

"You're up early," Cas said, sitting up and stretching. "You're not on patrol today, what's wrong?"

"Something…weird. I don't know what, but I sensed something that I haven't sensed in years," Sara replied, strapping her handgun holster on to her thigh and pushing her angel blade into a sheath on her hip.

"What was it?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Sara said, running a hand through her short crimson hair. She had cut it short and dyed it at Dean's request. Normally, she would have told him to stick it, but given the circumstances, she felt obligated to comply. Cas got up and walked over to her, handing her a protein bar for breakfast.

"Don't forget about tonight," he said. Sara smiled and kissed him.

"How could I? Someone has to keep you from killing yourself with bliss," she joked. As she turned, she heard the familiar sound of a pill bottle opening. She closed her eyes, trying to shut out the sound as she left the small cabin. Cas had been in a perpetual state of inebriation ever since...She didn't want to think about it. As she stepped out on her porch, a few people said hello to her. Chuck, the quartermaster, ran over to her.

"Morning, Sara," he said.

"Morning, Chuck. Where's Dean?" she asked.

"He's in his cabin," Chuck said. Sara thanked him and ran to Dean's cabin. When she knocked on the door, she heard something surprising.

"What?" snapped Dean's voice.

"Dean, it's Sara. I'm coming in," she said.

"No, wait!" But it was too late. She opened the door, and stopped dead and what she saw.

Dean, her Dean, was sitting at his table, cleaning his gun. Handcuffed to a ladder was another Dean, looking both confused and scared.

"What the hell?" she said, putting a hand on her blade.

"Kat?" handcuffed Dean asked. One good look at this Dean made her realize what she had sensed.

"Not quite, I'm afraid," she said, removing her hand from the hilt of her blade. "Where the hell did he come from?"

"Found him out near the Impala. Apparently, he's," her Dean said.

"From the past, yeah," Sara replied.

"So, wait…you're not Kat?" Future Dean winced. Sara looked at him, and when he gave no response, she looked back at past Dean. "Then you're,"

"Sarakiel," she replied.

"So, what happened? Did Cas find a way to get you out?" Past Dean asked. Sara looked down, making him realize what had happened. "So, she did it."

"Yeah, she did," Future Dean said, a necklace Sara had made for him. Kat's rings were on them, and Sara had had them engraved with her dates, and group of Enochian symbols.

"What's that mean?" Dean asked, motioning to the rings.

"OL G-CHIS-GE IPAMIS LN-BAR (Oh-Leh Geh keh-ee-seh geh Ee-peh-ah-ma-ee-es la-neh beh-a-rah)," Sara recited, the monotone in her voice not suiting her words. "It means, 'You are not forgotten'."

"Apparently, Zachariah brought him here to see what happens five years from his time," her Dean explained.

"That's why I could sense it," Sara said. "Time travel creates ripples."

"Did Cas feel it, too?" her Dean asked.

"Cas is here?" Past Dean asked simultaneously.

"Yes, he is here, and no he didn't notice…he doesn't notice much anymore," Sara said, remembering the drugs Cas was taking to dull the pain of not being an angel.

"Right." Future Dean, her Dean, looked at her with sympathy.

"I'm gonna go take a walk. Let me know if you need anything," Sara said, nodding at her Dean. She left the cabin and took a walk around camp. Every so often, someone would come up to her with a problem, which she would solve quickly.

Kat had been Dean's second-in-command when the apocalypse started. She did well, but when they realized that they were going to need help from the only source left, Kat went through with the ritual and summoned Sarakiel from her prison. Since then, Sara picked up the responsibility. Dean couldn't look at her for over a year, even kept accidentally calling her Kat. The first time she came out of Cas' cabin, he had been furious, screaming at her until she reminded him of who she really was. Cas had made good on his promises to Kat, helping her with the ritual and finally telling Sara how he felt. The two of them were married at a small ceremony by the resident chaplain. That was when Sara gave Dean Kat's rings, complete with the engraving she had done herself. He had burst in to tears, both mourning his wife and apologizing to her. For closure, they had erected a small gravestone by the lake. Dean visited every day, as did Sara. Today, Sara walked down by the lake and brushed off some leaves that had fallen on the gravestone the night before. A pentacle was at the top of the gravestone, over an inscription.

Katherine Marie Winchester

May 20, 1981 – March 5, 2011

Beloved Wife, Sister, and Friend

Your Sacrifice Will Never be Forgotten

"Hi, Kat," Sara said, sitting down in front of the grave. "You're not going to believe this, but your Dean is here. Dean from 2009. He was upset that you performed the ritual. It brought up a lot of memories for our Dean, too. I know this is incredibly human of me…but I really wish you were here. Dean still has problems being around me like a friend, like I want him to be. He is our leader, and I respect him. I want nothing more to help him, but every time he looks at me, he sees you. I'm sorry, Kat. I'm sorry that you had to go to such lengths to free me. I never wanted this for you. You were more than just my vessel…you were my friend. I loved you, Cas loved you, and Dean still does." By now, she was in tears. It had been while since she cried about Kat, but seeing Dean from 2009 had brought back memories, and woke up all kinds of emotions.

A hand on her shoulder made her looked up. Castiel was standing there, a small flower in his hand. He knelt next to Sara and placed he small flower in front of the gravestone. He didn't say a word. He just wrapped an arm around her and sat there with her. Sara buried her face in the crook of his neck and cried. Cas gently stroked her hair and occasionally crooned a kind word in her ear. After about an hour, she felt a little better. She lifted her head and gave him a small smile. He smiled back and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I miss her, too," he murmured. The two of them got up and left the gravesite, mentally moving on for now.

Her Dean had left on a run, leaving past Dean locked up in his cabin. To her complete lack of surprise, past Dean had picked his way out of the handcuffs, and got out of the cabin. By the time Sara found out, mainly from a fuming Risa and a shell-shocked Chuck, she found Dean in their cabin. Cas figured it out about as quickly as she did, despite being high.

"Now, why don't you strap on your angel wings and fly me back to my page on the calendar?" past Dean was asking.

"I wish I could just, uh, strap on my wings," Cas said, a stoned grin on his face. "But, I'm sorry, no dice."

"What, are you stoned?" Dean asked.

"Uh, generally, yeah," Cas laughed.

"What happened to you?"

"Life." Dean turned around to see Sara standing behind him.

"How did he not know better than to leave you in there alone?" she mused.

"What, are you gonna take me back in?" past Dean challenged.

"No," Sara replied, much to Dean's surprise. "As far as I'm concerned, he should have known better…rather, you should have known better." She walked over to Cas and fixed his hair with a smile on her face.

"How did Kat do it?" Dean asked. "Did she…do it herself?"

"I did it," Cas answered. "She asked me to do it, and I kept my promise to her." Dean looked furious.

"You killed her? Despite everything, you killed her?" Dean shouted.

"Dean, stop!" Sara said, getting in front of Dean. However, Cas already had started crashing. He let out a cry and backed up against the wall. Sara turned around and grabbed his pills. Cas had been reduced to a curled-up ball of a whimpering mess. Sara got two pills out of the bottle and handed them to him, whispering kind words in his ear. She hated enabling him, but there was no other option. There was no rehab, and they needed him functioning, so quitting cold turkey was out of the question. She also knew that she could lose him at any time. "Get out, Dean," she ordered.

"Cas, I,"

"Get out!" Dean backed away slowly, and walked out. Sara turned back to her husband, stroking his hair and holding him as he waited for the pills to kick in.

The officers, which consisted of Cas, Risa, Sara, and for now, past Dean, were gathered in current Dean's cabin, planning a strike.

"So that's it?" Risa said, looking at a gun on the table. "That's the Colt?"

"If anything can kill Lucifer, this is it," their Dean said.

"Great. Have we got anything that can find Lucifer?" Risa snapped.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, we were in, uh, Jane's cabin last night," past Dean put in. "And, apparently, we and…Risa have a connection."

"You want to shut up?" Dean, or now Dean as Sara had taken to referring to him, said. Past Dean raised his hands in surrender, shutting up.

"We don't have to find Lucifer," now Dean said. "We know where he is. The demon we caught last week, he was one of the big guy's entourage. He knew."

"So, a demon tells you where Satan's gonna be, and you just believe it?" Risa challenged.

"Oh, trust me," now Dean said. "He wasn't lying."

"And you know this how?" Risa asked.

"Our fearless leader, I'm afraid, is all too well schooled in the art of getting to the truth," Cas said.

"Torture?" past Dean asked. "Oh, so we're – torturing again." Sara remembered what Dean had told Kat about his time in Hell, and about his training with Alistair. Kat had begged Dean to let that stuff go, but after she died, Dean started back up again. "No, that's…that's good. Classy." Cas laughed at past Dean, causing now Dean to glare at him.

"What?" Cas said, shrugging. "I like past you."

"Lucifer is here," now Dean continued, pointing to a spot on the map in front of them. "I know the block, and I know the building."

"Oh good," Cas said, looking at the spot. "It's right in the middle of a hot zone." He had become delightfully sarcastic since he started medicating himself. Sara liked that part of the side effects, but the method of getting those side effects still disturbed her.

"Crawling with Croats," now Dean confirmed. "You saying my plan is reckless?" he challenged Cas.

"Are you saying we, uh, walk in straight up the driveway, past all the demons and Croats, and we shoot the devil?" Cas fired back.

"Yes."

"Okay, if you don't like 'reckless', I could use 'insouciant', maybe," Cas said.

"Are you coming?" now Dean asked. Cas sighed.

"Of course," Cas replied. "But, why is he?" he added, pointing to past Dean. "I mean, he's you from five years ago. If something happens to him, you're gone, right?"

"He's coming," now Dean said. Sara examined their leader. He seemed dead set on past Dean coming with them, and she was trying to figure out why.

"Okay," Cas said. "Well, uh, I'll get the grunts moving."

"We're loaded and on the road my midnight," now Dean ordered. Cas and Risa walked out to carry out now Dean's orders. Sara went to go with them, but she was stopped. "Sara, wait."

"Yes Dean?"

"Hang out for a minute. I want you to hear this."

"Why are you taking me?" past Dean asked.

"Relax," now Dean said. "You'll be fine. Zach's looking after you, right?"

"No, that's not what I mean," past Dean said. "I want to know what's going on."

"Yeah, okay," now Dean relented. "You're coming because I want you to see something. I want you to see our brother." Sara held her breath, looking at past Dean.

"Sam? I thought he was dead."

"Sam didn't die in Detroit," now Dean said. "He said yes."

"Yes?" past Dean asked, confused at what he just heard. After a silence, and now Dean and Sara exchanging looks, past Dean processed it. "Wait, you mean…"

"That's right," now Dean confirmed. "The big yes. To the devil. Lucifer's wearing him to the prom."

"What would he do that?" past Dean wondered.

"Wish I knew," now Dean answered. "But now we don't have a choice. It's in him, and it's not getting out. And we've got to kill him, Dean. And you need to see it – the whole damn thing, how bad it gets – so you can do different."

"What do you mean?"

"Zach said he was gonna bring you back, right? To oh-nine?"

"Yeah."

"Well, when you get back home, you say yes. You hear me? You say yes to Michael." Both Sara and past Dean looked at him in shock.

"Dean, you can't be serious," Sara said. "Saying yes to Michael? That doesn't solve anything."

"If I let him in, then Michael fights the devil. The battle's gonna torch half the planet," past Dean added.

"Look around you," now Dean pointed out. "Half the planet's better than no planet, which is what we have now. If I could do it over again, I'd say yes in a heartbeat. Kat wouldn't have had to die, Cas would still have his wings, and we would have found another way to free Sara."

"Is that what this is about? Saving Kat?" Sara asked. "If you had said yes, Kat would have lost you. Don't you get it? Michael and Lucifer would have killed each other. Neither one of them would have won. You and Sam would have died for nothing, leaving Kat alone again. Cas may have had his wings, but he wouldn't have had Sara. We're surviving, Dean. It's not as bad as you think it is."

"I'd still do it in a heartbeat," now Dean said. "And I've tried. I've shouted yes 'till I was blue in the face! The angels aren't listening. They just – left – gave up! It's too late for me, but for you…"

"Oh no," past Dean said. "There's got to be another way."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," now Dean replied. "I was cocky. Never actually thought I'd lose. But I was wrong, Dean. I was wrong. I'm begging you…say yes." There was a long pause, and no one said a word. "But you won't," he continued. "Cause I didn't. Because that's just not us, is it?"

"No, it's not," Sara said. "And that's what Kat loved about you. You were always looking for the situation that would save the most lives."

"Sara, we have to go," now Dean said, and walked out of his cabin, grabbing the colt. When he was gone, Sara rounded on past Dean.

"Don't say it. Don't say yes. It will not end the way that he thinks it will," she said. Past Dean just nodded and followed Sara out of the cabin.

Past Dean climbed in to the truck with Sara and Cas, and they followed the convoy out of the camp. While on the road, Cas took another dose of his pills.

"Let me see those," Dean said, taking the pills.

"You want some?" Cas offered.

"Amphetamines?" Dean read, sounding surprised.

"It's the perfect antidote to that absinthe," Cas said. Sara just looked down. Dean saw her in the rearview mirror, and looked at Cas.

"Don't get me wrong, Cas. I, uh, I'm happy that the stick is out of your ass, but what's going on with the drugs, and the orgies, and the love-guru crap?" Dean asked. Cas just started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Dean, we're not angels anymore," Cas said. Dean looked back at Sara, who nodded.

"What?"

"Yeah, we went mortal," Cas confirmed.

"What do you mean? How?"

"I think it had something to do with the angels leaving," Sara said. "But when they bailed, our mojo just kind of…drained away. Now, we're practically human."

"I'm all but useless," Cas said. "Last year, broke my foot, laid up for two months."

"Wow," Dean said. "So, you're human. Well, welcome to the club."

"Thanks," Cas said, wryly. "Except I used to belong to a much better club. And now I'm powerless. I'm hapless, I'm hopeless. I mean, why the hell not bury myself in women and decadence, right?"

"And you're okay with this?" Dean asked Sara.

"It's the end of the world, Dean, and we're two angels without any grace. We've both retained some of our abilities, but nothing like we had. We can't heal, we can't fly, our grace is gone. I don't even know that we'll live long. Eventually, we will both die. I've got Kat's role as second-in-command to help me, but Cas…you should see him when he comes down. It's bad," Sara said.

"Sara knows I love her, Dean, and I know that she loves me. At the end of the day, she's the one I come home to. She's the one who makes me smile. She's the one who pulls me up when I'm down. I do all of the same things for her," Cas said. "The decadence? That's just how I roll."

The convoy rolled up to the hot zone outside of Jackson County Sanitarium. Everyone had guns out and was scanning the area. They crouched down behind some abandoned cars and looked at the building.

"There," now Dean said, pointing to a second-floor window. "We go in there."

"You sure about this?" Risa asked.

"They'll never see us coming," now Dean said. "Trust me. Now, weapons check. We're on the move in five."

"Hey, uh, me," past Dean said. "Can I talk to you for a second?" As the rest of the group checked their guns and any other weapons they had, the two Deans went off to talk.

"Are you sure about this?" Risa asked Sara.

"No, but it's the best chance we have," Sara replied, checking her hand gun before moving to her assault rifle.

"He's acting like it's the only chance we have," Risa commented, checking her own semi-automatic.

"May well be," Sara replied.

"I still think this is reckless," Cas commented as he pushed a magazine into his own weapon.

"I agree, but what other choice to we have?" Sara said, double checking her angel blade. She sheathed it just in time for now Dean to call her. She got up and walked over to him.

"You want to explain to him…me…why this plan is going the way it's going?" now Dean asked her. She looked at him, and then at past Dean. Sara then took her angel blade and put the point over an enochian tattoo on her arm. With a hiss, she drew a line over it, effectively breaking the seal. Her eyes then shone blue.

"I never got cutoff from Heaven, Dean," she said. "I'm an archangel. I never really lost my mojo. When Cas started failing, I hid it away. I didn't want him to think that I could just be the cure-all for his problems, because I can't. I also didn't need them thinking that I could just go up to heaven and flick a switch. Heaven shut its gates, Dean. I don't know why I still have my grace, but if it will help bring my brother down, then I have no choice."

"And what about his plan to sacrifice Cas?"

"I can move on," Sara grunted, anticipating the pain. "It will hurt for however long it will hurt, but I can move on. Other people depend on me."

"How can you say that? Do you even really love him?" past Dean snarled. Unable to control her emotions, Sara let out a growl, and punched him as hard as she could, knocking him out.

"Never presume to know my heart, Dean Winchester," she growled.

"Woah, you read my mind," now Dean said, looking down at past Dean. She whipped her head around, her gray eyes blazing with fury.

"That goes for you as well," she spat. "I know what you're planning on using them for. I'm willing to accept it, but don't think for one second that means that I will forgive you." Now Dean merely nodded. She walked back to the group. By now, her grace had returned to full strength, and her eyes were glowing blue. Everyone looked at her, amazed. Castiel got up and walked toward her, his blue eyes full of tears.

"Sara…why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly, reaching out to touch her shoulder. Sara caught his hand, and pulled him in to a searing kiss. As she kissed him, her grace flared, and she brought him back to full health. His addiction was gone, his mind was clear, and his body was strong. When he pulled away, he looked at himself, and then back to her.

"I wasn't able to restore your grace, but if you're going in there, I want you at your best, Castiel. Come back to me," Sara begged. "All of you," she added to the rest of the soldiers. With a snap of her fingers, every soldier there was at full health and ready to go. They felt strong, fed, and healthy for the first time in years. "Now let's get in there and kill my brother." The group moved out. Sara watched them go in, Castiel in the lead. He looked more alive than he had for years. As now Dean stood next to her, he was amazed.

"What did you do?"

"I gave them hope," she said. "If Cas dies, there is no forgiving you, Dean Winchester. I'll help you, but whatever we had is done."

"Understood. Let's get going," he said, drawing the Colt. The two of them ran around back and found a white-suited figure standing in a rose garden. It turned around at their approach. Sara winced as she stared in to Sam Winchesters gentle brown eyes, eyes that were now filled with malice and evil.

"Well well well," he said. "Hello, sister."

"Lucifer," she said by way of a greeting.

"Sadly, I'll have to deal with you in a minute." He flung out his hand and pinned Sara against the wall of the building behind him. "Right now, I need to deal with the person trying to kill me. You may want to close your eyes for this." Despite her fighting, Sara couldn't help but close her eyes. "I wouldn't want my dear baby sister scarred for life, now would I?

The next few minutes were a blur. There was a little banter between Dean and Lucifer, but it all happened so quick that before she realized it, the Colt went off, followed by some struggling. Footsteps ran up, just as Sara heard and audible snap. She couldn't see anything, but she knew what had happened.

"Oh, hello, Dean," Lucifer said. "Aren't you a surprise? You've come a long way to see this, haven't you?"

"Well, go ahead," Dean said. "Kill me." Lucifer snapped his fingers and released Sara's eyes. She opened them and saw, to her horror, now Dean lying on the ground, motionless.

"No!" she screamed. "You bastard!"

"Such vulgar language, little sister," Lucifer said. "We'll have to work on that. Now, Dean, don't you think killing you would be a little…redundant? I'm sorry. It must be painful speaking to me in this…shape. But it had to be your brother. It had to be." He walked toward Dean, trying to put a hand on his shoulder. When Dean moved back, Lucifer cocked his head to the side slightly. "You don't have to be afraid of me, Dean. What do you think I'm going to do?"

"I don't know," Dean said. "Maybe deep-fry the planet?"

"Why?" Lucifer asked. "Why would I destroy this stunning thing? Beautiful in a trillion different ways. The last perfect handiwork of God." When Dean didn't answer, Lucifer continued. "You ever hear the story of how I fell from grace?"

"Oh good God, you're not gonna tell me a bedtime story, are you?" Dean said. "My stomach's almost out of bile."

"You know why God cast me down? Because I loved him. More than anything. And then God created... You. The little...hairless apes. And then he asked all of us to bow down before you—to love you, more than him. And I said, "Father, I can't." I said, "These human beings are flawed, murderous." And for that, God had Michael cast me into hell. Now, tell me, does the punishment fit the crime? Especially, when I was right? Look at what six billion of you have done to this thing, and how many of you blame me for it."

"You're not fooling me, you know," Dean said. "With this sympathy for the devil crap? I know what you really are."

"What am I?" Lucifer asked with a smirk.

"You're the same thing, only bigger," Dean answered. "The same brand of cockroach I've been squashing my whole life. An ugly, evil, belly-to-the-ground, supernatural piece of crap. The only difference between them and you is the size of your ego." Lucifer just smiled.

"I like you, Dean," he said. "I get what the other angels see in you. Goodbye. We'll meet again, soon." He snapped his fingers, and Sara fell to the ground. Lucifer turned toward her.

"You better kill me now!" Dean shouted. Lucifer turned back to him, smirking.

"Pardon?"

"You better kill me now, or I swear, I will find a way to kill you," Dean snarled. Sara took the opportunity. Her grace flared to life, her wings casting a shadow behind her, eyes glowing almost white. With a snarl, she raised her blade and charged at Lucifer. Dean could only watch in horror as Lucifer grabbed her wrist, and plunged the blade into her own stomach. All Sara could do was let out a small whimper.

"NO!" Dean shouted. Lucifer lowered Sara slowly to the ground, almost caring.

"Forgive me, sister," Lucifer murmured. "I did not want to do this to you. You were the only one who mourned me when I fell, and I wanted you to stay with me."

"Screw you," Sara said, her voice surprisingly strong. "Dean! Don't say yes to Michael. Promise me you won't. Find another way to set me free!"

"I promise," Dean said.

"SHUT YOUR EYES!" she shouted. There was a blinding white light and a scream of pain. When the light faded, Dean looked down at Sara's body. She looked peaceful, the only real carnage shown as the blood on her shirt, and the scorched remains of her wings spread out under her body.

Inside the Sanitorium

Castiel felt his stomach drop. His eyes were fixed on where a bright light had just flashed. Even over the din of the battle, he heard a familiar voice scream in pain.

"No," he whispered. He ran from the battle, running toward where the light had flashed. He moved quickly, slicing down every demon and croat that got in his way. For a moment, he felt like his old self again. He was powerful, fast, and determined.

When he got outside, however, everything changed.

He dropped his gun, just staring at what he saw before him. Sarakiel, a stab wound and her angel blade in her stomach, lying on top of the burned outline of her magnificent wings. Dean was nearby – Dean from 2014 – his neck snapped. The Colt was gone, too. Cas staggered over to his wife, and cradled her body in his arms.

Their leader was gone.

His wife was gone.

There was nothing left.

He pulled Sara's blade from her chest, and held on to it tightly. He would never kill himself, but at this point, he would wait there until death came for him. He would never move from that spot.

He would never leave Sara again.

Century Hotel, room 113, 2009, minutes after Dean disappeared.

"Cas, Dean's gone," Kat said into her cell phone. "Come get me." Seconds later, Cas appeared, put a hand on her, and the two of them were back on the road where Cas had been standing and waiting.

"What happened?" he asked as soon as their feet touched the ground.

"I don't know," Kat said. "I went to change and he was gone when I came back, he was gone."

"Did you sense anything odd in the room?" Cas asked.

"Now that you mention it, yeah," Kat said, thinking back. "It was…something I've felt before, and I don't know why."

"It was angelic," Cas said. "Probably Zachariah."

"That son of a bitch," Kat spat, remembering the Seraph who had ordered Cas to kill her.

"Agreed," Cas said. He was then immediately silent.

"What's up?"

"Angel Radio," Cas answered, not looking at her. "Zachariah is bringing Dean back." Cas was only gone about a minute, and then he was back, Dean in tow.

"That was pretty nice timing, Cas," Dean said.

"We had an appointment," Cas said with a small grin.

"Dean!" Kat exclaimed, jumping up. Dean just pulled her in close, holding on to her like he had almost lost her. Kat held him just as tightly. "I'm sorry I got mad," she sobbed in to his shoulder.

"It's okay," Dean said, burying his face in her neck. "I'm just glad I'm home." He then looked at Cas.

"Don't ever change, either of you," he said.

"How did Zachariah find you?" Cas asked.

"Long story," Dean answered, pulling away from Kat long enough to kiss her. "Let's just stay away from Jehovah's Witnesses from now on, okay?"

"Don't have to tell me twice," Kat said. Dean smiled at her, and then pulled out his cell phone.

"What are you doing?" Cas asked, looking at the phone.

"Something I should have done in the first place," Dean said. When the call connected, Kat's heart leaped at the sound of Sam's voice.

They met Sam not too far away the following morning, at a road next to a bridge. When he pulled up, Sam and Dean approached each other. Kat hung back, choosing to wait to be invited to come in.

"Sam," Dean said by way of a greeting. He pulled out the demon knife. As Sam watched, Dean flipped it to hold the blade, and handed it, hilt first, to his brother. "If you're serious and you want back in, you should hang on to this. I'm sure you're rusty." Sam took the knife, still unable to look at Dean. "Look, man, I'm sorry." Dean continued. "I don't know. I'm…whatever I need to be. But I was, uh – wrong." Kat couldn't help but smile. She knew Dean wasn't good at this sort of thing, but she also that when she heard it, he meant it. He had done his share of apologizing to her on the drive down, and now it was Sam's turn to hear it.

"What made you change your mind?" Sam asked.

"Long story," Dean said. "The point is...maybe we are each other's Achilles heel. Maybe they'll find a way to use us against each other, I don't know. I just know we're all we've got. More than that. We keep each other human."

"Thank you," Sam said. "Really, thank you. I won't let you down."

"Oh, I know it," Dean replied. "I mean, you're the second best hunter on the planet."

"So, what do we do now?" Sam asked.

"We make our own future," Dean answered, his voice definitive.

"Guess we have no choice," Sam commented. As they walked back to the Impala, Kat smiled at her brother-in-law. He smiled back and gave her a hug.

"Welcome back, Sam," Kat said as the giant Winchester enveloped her in his arms.

"I'm glad I'm back, Kat," he replied. Admittedly, for Sam, it was weird having another hunter around with them, especially one that happened to be his sister-in-law. However, it was a good kind of weird. Here was someone that had their backs, loved them both, and was the level-headed one when Dean wouldn't listen to him.

This was the family he was hoping for, and this was one he was happy to have.


	17. When Children Rule the World

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 6: I Believe the Children are our Future.

The Winchesters found themselves in Alliance, Nebraska. After a confusing case involving a pagan god and worshipped celebrities and historical figures, Kat was hoping for something less…weird.

The three of them had found a case where a girl had scratched her head until she died, exposing her brain.

"Well, I guess this is less weird," she commented as they approached the coroner's office. They held up their FBI badges.

"Agents Page, Plant, and Jones, FBI," Dean introduced them.

"Agents, what brings you by?" the doctor asked after glancing at their badges.

"We need to see Amber Freer's body," Sam said, putting his badge back in his blazer pocket.

"Really?" the doctor asked. "What for?"

"The police report said something clawed through her skull?" Dean said.

"You didn't read the autopsy report that I emailed out this morning?" the doctor asked. The three of them looked at each other before Sam cleared his throat.

"W-we had, uh, server issues," Sam explained. They followed the doctor back to the freezers and pulled out a slab with Amber's body. He pulled the sheet off her body.

"When they brought her in, we thought she was attacked by a wolf or something," the doctor said.

"Or something," Dean commented.

"But we were wrong," the doctor continued. He picked up a plastic bag from next to the body and showed it to the three of them.

"Is that?" Kat asked, squinting at it.

"It's a press-on nail," the doctor confirmed. "We found it in her temporal lobe."

"Are you saying that she did this to herself?" Dean asked, confused.

"Uh-huh," the doctor confirmed. "She scratched her brains out. It'd take hours, and it'd hurt like hell, but sure – it's possible."

"How?" Kat asked.

"Pick your acronym – OCD, PCP. It all spells crazy," the doctor said. Sam pulled the sheet a little further down and examined her hand. Sure enough, on her right hand, the middle press on nail was missing. "My guess, some kind of phantom itch," the doctor continued. "I mean, an extreme case, but…"

"Phantom itch?" Sam asked.

"Yup," the doctor replied. He covered Amber's body back up and slid it back into the freezer, closing the door behind her. "All it takes is someone talking about an itch – or thinking about one, even – and suddenly you can't stop scratching."

"Thanks, doc," Sam said. As the doctor walked away, Sam scratched under his collar, Dean scratched behind his ear, and Kat scratched the back of her neck.

"Did I say less weird?" Kat said as they walked back outside to the Impala. "I'd say more weird than what we were just dealing with."

"There's no such thing as less weird, Kat," Sam commented. "You know that."

"Yeah, that's true," Kat acquiesced.

Their next stop was where Amber was found. She was babysitting a young boy named Jimmy. His parents were completely shocked at what they had come home to a few nights ago.

"Okay. Okay, now, some of these questions might seem a bit odd, but just bear with me," Sam was explaining. Kat sat next to him while Dean walked around, quietly using the EMF to check out the house. "Have you noticed any cold spots in the house?"

"Uh…no," Jimmy's father answered.

"Okay, what about strange smells?" Kat asked.

"Nothing like that," Jimmy's father said. Dean poked his head into the room and caught Kat's eye.

"Excuse me," she said, and got up to join her husband. "What's up?" Dean looked over at a young boy standing there, who they assumed was Jimmy.

"So, Jimmy, did you, uh, see anything strange that night?" Dean asked Jimmy.

"No, sir," Jimmy replied. Both Winchesters caught on to the quick response.

"You sure about that?" Dean pressed him.

"I – I would tell you if I knew something," Jimmy insisted. Kat and Dean weren't so sure. "I promise," Jimmy continued. "One hundred percent. Cross my heart." Dean looked at Kat, who looked at the young man.

"Well, Jimmy…I happen to know you're lying," Kat said, walking up to him.

"I'm not," Jimmy said. Kat gave him a knowing grin as Dean walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, leaning down to the boy's height.

"We gonna start talking truth, or are you and me gonna have to take a little trip downtown?" he asked quietly, putting a considerable amount of fear into the little boy.

The three hunters left the house, Dean holding a packet of itching powder.

"Kid said he put this on the babysitter's hairbrush," Dean said, examining it.

"Dean, there's no way itching powder made that girl scratch her brains out," Sam said. "It's just ground up maple seeds."

"If you have any other theories, I'm open to 'em," Dean countered. Sam was about to say something when his phone rang. He answered it and listened as Kat and Dean started to get into the car.

"Yeah?...Yeah, we'll be right there," Sam said. He hung up the phone and the three of them jumped in to the car, heading for the hospital. When they arrived, a nurse was zipping up a body bag and rolling it out of the room. The doctor they had spoken to before was standing there.

"What happened?" Kat asked as they walked up to him.

"Guy got electrocuted," the doctor answered.

"Any idea how?" Dean asked.

"Eh, maybe a loose wire or a piece of equipment shorted out," the doctor mused. "So far, we haven't found anything."

"Witnesses?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, guy in there," the doctor said, pointing into a room. "Mr. Stanley." Inside the room was an old man sitting in a chair, staring out the window. "He says he saw it, but he's not making a lick of sense. Senile," the doctor said. Sam thanked him, and they walked in to the room as the doctor left.

"Um, Mr. Stanley?" Sam called gently.

"It was just a joke," Mr. Stanley said, sounding scared. "I didn't know it would really work."

"What would work?" Dean asked him.

"All I did was shake his hand," Mr. Stanley said, holding up his hand and looking at Dean. He was holding a joy buzzer. Sam and Dean looked at each other, while Kat gently took the joy buzzer from the old man, assuring him that it was just an accident and that he would not get in trouble.

Back in the motel, Dean had put on a pair of goggles and some rubber gloves. He picked up the joy buzzer and looked at it. He then looked over at Sam and Kat, who were both wearing goggles as well.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Hit it, Mr. Wizard," Sam replied. Dean took a breath, and pressed the joy buzzer to a large, uncooked ham on the table in front of them. Electricity crackled, and steam started rising from the ham as it was cooked right in front of them. When it looked done, Dean pulled the joy buzzer off. The three of them gawked at the ham, amazed at what they had just seen.

"That'll do, pig," Dean said with a smirk.

"What the hell?" Sam said, still gawking. Dean removed his goggles, still staring at the ham. Kat removed hers, both confused and intrigued at the same time. "That crap isn't supposed to work," Sam continued.

"This thing doesn't even have batteries," Dean commented as he took of his gloves.

"So…so what?" Sam aid. "Are – are we looking at cursed objects?"

"Sounds good," Dean agreed. He pulled out a knife and cut himself a piece of ham. "Maybe there's a powerful witch in town."

"This doesn't feel like magick," Kat said, holding her hand over the joy buzzer.

"Is there any link between the joy buzzer and the itching powder?" Dean asked as he munched on the ham.

"One was made in China, the other Mexico, but they were both bought from the same store," Sam replied.

"Hmm," Dean said. He cut another piece of ham and held it up to his brother and wife, who both refused.

The store in question was called the Conjurarium. It was filled with novelty magic tricks and prank items. Kat never had a problem with any of this stuff. Real magick was better, sure, but for kids who didn't need to be messing with the real stuff, this was a safe way to have some mystery and fun in their lives.

"Guys," Dean called to his brother and wife. Sam and Kat looked at him as he held up a whoopee cushion with a stupid grin on his face. Sam sighed and shook his head. Kat grinned. Dean brought the toy up to the counter with Kat and Sam as the owner came out from the back room.

"Welcome to the Conjurarium, sanctum of magic and mystery," he said, sounding a little lackluster.

"You the owner?" Sam asked.

"Yep."

"You sold any itching powder or joy buzzers lately?" Dean asked him.

"Yeah, a grand total of one each," the owner replied. "They aren't exactly big-ticket items. Look, you here to buy something or what?" Dean held up the whoopee cushion and handed some cash over.

"So, you get many customers?" Sam asked as his brother bought the whoopee cushion.

"Kids come in," the owner answered as he rang up the toy. "They don't buy much, but they're more than happy to break stuff. These days, all they care about are their iPhones and those kissing-vampire movies. The whole thing just makes me,"

"Angry?" Dean offered. The owner paused, and then nodded.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Yeah, I am angry. This shop has been my life for twenty years, and now it's wasting away to nothing."

"Which is why you hate them," Dean pressed.

"I suppose," the owner said.

"You wish there was something you could about it," Dean kept pressing.

"Yeah, I guess I do," the owner agreed.

"So, you're taking revenge with this," Dean finished. He pulled a rubber chicken down from a display and pressed the joy buzzer to it. The chicken began to melt before their eyes. The owner jumped back, genuinely afraid.

"Yeah, something tells me that this guy is not a powerful witch," Sam said.

"Sorry," Dean muttered. "Sorry." The three of them quickly left the shop and went back to the motel for the night.

The morning saw them back in the hospital. A man had been brought in with multiple teeth pulled. Kat watched Sam talk to the victim as Dean interviewed a nurse.

"Well, I, uh, appreciate that, Nurse…Fremont," Dean said, looking at her nametag.

"Please…call me Jen," she said, flirting with the elder Winchester.

"Oh," Dean said, glancing back at Kat, who looked at him with a bemused grin on her face. "Jen it is." Jen smiled and left. At that moment, Sam walked out of the hospital room. "What's up with toothless? Cavity creeps get ahold of him?" he asked his brother.

"Yeah, close," Sam said. "He wrote up a description." He looked down at his notebook. "Five foot ten, 350 pounds, wings, and a pink tutu. Said it was the tooth fairy."

"So he's obviously whacked out on painkillers," Dean said.

"Maybe," Sam said. "Whatever it was got past locked doors and windows without triggering the alarm."

"Come on," Dean scoffed. "Tooth fairy."

"And it left thirty two quarters underneath his pillow," Sam finished. "One for each tooth." Dean nodded, and looked around.

"Well, I will see your crazy and raise you some," Dean began. "There's a couple of kids upstairs with stomach ulcers – say they got it from mixing pop rocks and coke. Another guy….his face…froze that way."

"What way?" Kat asked. Dean looked around, and then pulled out the sides of his mouth while crossing his eyes. He held it for a moment and then let go.

"He, uh, held it too long and it – it stuck. They're flying in a plastic surgeon," Dean replied, massaging his face to make sure that his didn't do the same thing.

"So, I mean, if you add that all up," Sam began. As Kat and Dean looked at him for an answer, Sam sighed. "I got nothing." They started to walk down the hallway.

"I thought sea-monkeys were real," Dean commented.

"They are," Kat said. "They're brine shrimp."

"No, I mean, like in the ads," Dean explained. "You know, like the sea-monkey wife cooks the pot roast for the sea-monkey husband, and the sea-monkey kids play with the dog in a sea-monkey castle…real. I mean, I was six, but I believed it."

"That is adorable," Kat said with a smile.

"Point is," Dean said, stopping Sam and Kat in the hallway. "Maybe that's the connection. The tooth fairy, the pop rocks and coke, the joy buzzer that shocks you – they're all lies that kids believe."

"And now they're coming true," Sam said. "Okay, so whatever's doing this is…reshaping reality. It has the powers of a god..or…or a trickster," he finished, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, with the sense of humor of a nine-year old," Dean said.

"Or you," Sam pointed out before walking off. Kat couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" she asked when Dean looked at her. "You do." She followed Sam, and Dean followed behind her.

Back at the motel, Dean had made himself a sandwich with the ham he had cooked with the joy buzzer. Sam and Kat, who had gone out to the library to do some research, came back in and were surprised to find Dean munching on the ham.

"Dude, seriously? Still with the ham?" Sam asked.

"We don't have a fridge," Dean pointed out. Sam sighed and put the map down in front of his brother.

"Well, we found something," he said.

"The tooth fairy attack was here," Kat began, pointing to one of the several red x's on the map. "Pop rocks and coke was here, and then you've got itching powder, face freeze, and joy buzzer – all located within a two-mile radius." She pointed to various x's as she named each incident.

"So, we got a blast zone of weird, and inside, fantasy becomes reality," Dean said, looking at the map.

"Looks like," Sam said.

"And what's the A-bomb at it's center?"

"Four acres of farmland…and a house," Kat said. Dean looked at the map, and then had a surprisingly guilty look on his face as he looked at his wife.

"Our motel isn't in that circle, by any chance?"

"Yeah," Sam said.

"Why?" Kat asked. Unable to look her in the eye, Dean held up his right hand. The palm was covered in hair. Kat looked at it for a minute, and then realized what that meant. Sam picked up on it too, as he groaned.

"Ugh, dude," Sam sighed. "That's not what I think it is, is it?"

"I got bored…and that nurse was hot," Dean said, sounding as guilty as he looked. Kat cocked an eyebrow at her husband, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Should I leave you to kick his ass?" Sam asked.

"Don't have to," Kat replied. "He knows."

"You know you can go blind from that, too," Sam commented.

"Give me five minutes," Dean said. "We'll go check out that house." As he walked to the bathroom, Sam suddenly had a thought.

"Hey! Do not use my razor!" he called to his brother, who only smirked in response.

The farmhouse looked completely harmless as the three of them walked up to the house. Dean checked Ruby's knife in his belt as Sam began to pick the lock. He didn't get far, because the door was opened by a little boy of about 10.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Hi," Sam stuttered. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Who wants to know?" the boy challenged. Sam and Dean looked at each other.

"The, uh," Dean began, pulling out his badge. "FBI." Sam held up his own badge, and Kat followed suit.

"Let me see that," the boy said, holding his hand out to Dean. Dean handed him the badge. He looked at it for a minute, and then handed it back as Kat and Sam put theirs away. "So, what, you guys don't knock?"

"Are your parents home?" Kat asked, stepping around Dean.

"They work," the boy answered.

"Well, do you mind if we ask you a few questions, maybe take a look around the house?" she asked.

"I don't know," the boy replied, sounding apprehensive, something that Kat could understand.

"Come on," Dean said, trying to put on his most reassuring smile. "You can trust us. We're the authorities." He held up his badge again as he and Sam tried to reassure the kid. Kat rolled her eyes as the little boy looked very unimpressed.

"Sorry about them," she said. "They're a little goofy."

"A little?" the boy asked. Kat laughed a little.

"You're good. Seriously, though, we're not going to hurt you." After a moment, the little boy let them in the house. They followed him in to the kitchen, where a pot was boiling on the stove. The little boy went up to it and turned it off.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"It's called soup," the kid said, a little sarcastically. "You heat it up and you eat it." He took the pot off the stove.

"Right," Sam said, chuckling. "I, I know. It's just, um…I used to make my own dinner, too, when I was a kid."

"Well, I'm not a kid," the boy said.

"We know," Kat said, stepping in. "My name's Gina." She held out her hand for the little boy to shake. He did.

"Jesse," he said.

"Nice to meet you, Jesse," Kat said, appreciating his firm handshake.

"Did you draw this?" Dean asked from behind Kat. He was holding a picture of a bearded man with pink wings and a tutu that he had pulled off of the refrigerator. Jesse nodded.

"It's the tooth fairy," he said.

"That's what you think the tooth fairy looks like, huh?" Dean asked him.

"Yeah," Jesse replied. "My dad told me about him." Dean looked at Sam, showing him the picture. "What, did your dad tell you about the tooth fairy?"

"My dad?" Dean chuckled. "My dad told me different stories."

"Well, the tooth fairy isn't a story," Jesse said, his voice serious.

"What do you know about itching powder, Jesse?" Sam asked.

"That stuff will make you scratch your brains out," Jesse replied.

"Pop rocks and coke?" Dean asked.

"You mix them, and you'll end up in the hospital. Everyone knows that," Jesse answered. Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out the joy buzzer, holding it up. Jesse's eyes got wide. "You shouldn't have that."

"Why not?"

"It can electrocute you," Jesse explained.

"Actually, it can't," Dean said, looking at it. "It's just a wind-up toy. It's totally harmless. Doesn't even have batteries."

"So, it can't shock you?" Jesse asked, still eyeing the toy.

"Nope, not at all," Dean said. "I swear."

"Oh, okay," Jesse said, seeming to accept it.

"I mean, all it does is just shake in your hand," Dean said, putting it on his hand. "It's kind of lame, see?" Without warning, Dean pressed the joy buzzer against Sam's chest. Sam stiffened up and looked at Dean as the joy buzzer just buzzed. He looked as though he was going to kill Dean, who just smiled. "What did you say your name was, again?" Dean asked Jesse, ignoring the look on his brother's face.

Jesse gave them some more information, and as soon as they were outside of earshot of the kid, Sam confronted Dean.

"Dude, what the hell?" he said.

"I had a hunch, I went with it," Dean said, shrugging.

"You risked my ass on a hunch?" Sam spat.

"You're fine," Dean said, dismissing his brother's fear.

"Sam, think about what we just discovered," Kat pointed out. "Jesse is the source of all of this."

"Yeah," Dean said as the three of them congregated near the car. "Everything Jesse believes comes true. He thinks the tooth fairy looks like Belushi, joy buzzers really shock people, that's what happens."

"Yeah, but convince him the joy buzzers don't actually work, and they go from killing machines back into crap toys," Sam said.

"He probably doesn't even know he's doing it," Dean said. They looked back at the house, where Jesse was looking at them from a second-floor window. Dean waved at him. "How is he doing it?"

Sam went down to city hall to get some records on Jesse while Dean and Kat spent some time alone. Travelling and fighting monsters didn't leave much time to be husband and wife, and certainly not enough time for kids, which she had thought about. When Sam returned, Kat and Dean were curled up on their bed. Dean was paging through John's journal, and Kat was just resting on his chest.

"So, I dug up what I could on Jesse Turner," Sam said. "It's not much. Uh, B student, won last year's Pinewood Derby. But get this: Jesse was adopted. His birth records are sealed."

"So you unsealed them, and?" Dean asked, skipping over the first obvious question.

"There's no father listed, but Jesse's biological mom is named Julia Wright," Sam replied. "She lives in Elk Creek, on the other side of the state." Dean closed the book and shifted up, making Kat get up.

"Let's get going," Dean said.

"Actually, you guys go," Kat said, not getting up from the bed.

"Kat, you can't stay here alone," Dean said.

"If something happens with Jesse, I need to be nearby. It'll look weird if the feds investigating the case just vanish," she pointed out. Dean was still unsure, and Kat gave him a warm kiss. "I'll be fine. I know how to find Cas, or get help if I need it. I'll be okay." Dean gave her a huge hug, and then handed her his gun. Kat rolled her eyes, but took the gun anyway.

"You call the minute something goes wrong," Dean ordered her.

"Yes, dear," she said. "Both of you, be careful." Sam nodded, and he and Dean left. As soon as they were gone, Kat got on her phone and called up the one person that she knew she shouldn't be calling right now. There were a few rings, and then…

"Hello?"

"High Priestess Olivette?" Kat held her breath. She was a Natural witch, according to the Grand Coven, but had taken too long to awaken her powers. It had even been a subject of debate when her grandmother asked to become her mentor. Eventually, they relented, but the current High Priestess hadn't been her biggest fan. It got even worse when they discovered that she was an Archangel's vessel. And when they found out who she married? At this point, Kat was surprised that they hadn't sent someone to kill her.

"Well well well…Mrs. Winchester, the angel's servant," the voice at the other end of the line said.

"High Priestess, please," Kat said. "You know I wouldn't be calling you if it wasn't important."

"And what could the wife of one of our biggest threats be calling me for?" Olivette asked.

"A threat to all of us," Kat replied. "You've seen the signs, I know you have; you're not stupid. It's the Apocalypse."

"The Apocalypse that the Christian diety started," Olivette retorted. "One that you serve."

"I serve his Archangel, I don't serve him."

"Same thing. Now, unless you have something actually important to say…"

"This affects all of us, High Priestess. If the Earth goes down, we all do. By just standing by, we're enabling Lucifer to end the world," Kat said. "If Lucifer wins, the Borrowers are next." There was silence on the other end of the line.

"What do you mean?"

"If Lucifer wins, he's going to destroy humans. Then, he's going after the Demons. He looks down on them almost as much as he looks down on us. What's going to happen to our brothers and sisters who borrow demonic powers to practice our Craft? They'll be gone, that's what'll happen. Then, it will only be a matter of time before he turns on us as well. Are we really strong enough?"

"Lucifer does not know our combined strength," Olivette insisted.

"Oh, he knows it…and he's laughing at it," Kat replied. "I'm calling to inform you of the danger…and ask for your blessing to help in any way that I can."

"And since when have you needed my permission?"

"Because of what I have to do in order to help." Kat spent the next several minutes describing the spell that she intended on using to free Sara from her heavenly prison. When she finished, Olivette was very solemn.

"Gilda, do you know what all of this means?" she asked softly. Kat was surprised by the use of her Circle name. "It means that you will be using magick that not even our worst witches would use. You're binding yourself to a powerful being that will use you as a servant for the rest of time."

"I'm aware, High Priestess," Kat replied. "I'm doing this to save countless lives. I feel that it's worth it. So, will you please give me your blessing."

"Gilda…I cannot," Olivette said.

"What?"

"What you're asking me to do is give you my blessing to one of our own, a rare Natural witch, to give her life and soul, and then bind her body to a celestial being who serves a God, whose own servants hunted us down and killed us for centuries. Gilda, I cannot, in any conscience, do that. I'm sorry, I truly am. But, as High Priestess of the Grand Coven, I cannot sanction that. If you go through with this, I cannot, of course, stop you. However, I will not be the one to say that I told you that I approved. Blessed be, sister. You're on your own." The line disconnected. Frustrated, Kat threw her phone across the room.

"Fuck!" she screamed. "Fuck the Grand Coven, fuck Heaven, and fuck this shit! I need some help!" There was a blinding flash of white light, and Kat felt a force throw her back on to the bed, and her vision went white.

Kat was in her clearing. Everything was quiet and calm. Looking down at herself, she had on white robes. They were the same robes that she wore when she was initiated. They were as clean and crisp as the day they were sewn. Her grandmother's pentacle necklace, the one she had given her on the day of her initiation, hung around her neck.

"You look lovely, dear," said a female voice behind her, a light English accent gracing the words. Kat whirled around and saw an older woman sitting there. She had dark brown hair, green eyes, and a gentle smile on her face. She wore similar white robes, but runes and flowers were embroidered all over. A similar pentacle necklace hung around her neck, but it was made of oak. The look in the woman's green eyes was that of a mother, one of kind wisdom that came from a lifetime of experience. "Come, sit." A table, chairs, and assorted snacks appeared on the table, including some very aromatic earl grey tea. Kat, however, didn't move.

"Who are you? How do you know about this place?" Kat asked, looking around for something, anything, that could be used as a weapon.

"Katherine, please," she said, a musical laugh in her voice. "If I had wanted to hurt you, I would have done it before you got here. Now please, sit. The sandwiches are your favorite." Kat moved forward, and sure enough, saw peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches sitting there, heavy on the Nutella. Slowly, she sat down across from the woman, who was in the process of pouring tea. "I must say, those robes always did look good on you."

"You haven't answered my question. Who are you?" Kat asked, accepting a teacup and saucer that was handed to her.

"Oh, you know who I am. I was there the day you were born," she said, adding a few lumps of sugar to her own teacup. "And the day you were born again." Kat looked at her for a few minutes, and then something clicked in her head. The woman clearly noticed, because she gave a knowing smile before taking a sip of tea.

"Gaia?"

"Of all the names I go by, this one is my favorite," she replied, her green eyes sparkling. Kat's eyes grew wide. She dropped out of the chair and on to her knees, sitting back on her heels and putting her head down.

"Please forgive my rudeness earlier, Mother," Kat said, not raising her head.

"My child, please," Gaia said, reaching down and touching Kat's head, causing her to look up. "You're suspicious of anything you don't know, and you've never seen me before. That's hardly an unexpected reaction. Now, sit down and drink before it gets cold." Kat got up and resumed her seat. She took a drink, and immediately felt warmed by the delicious tea.

"Where did you come from?" Kat asked, reaching for a sandwich.

"Now that's a philosophical question, isn't it?" Gaia joked, her musical laughter filling the clearing. "To answer the question you were really asking, I'm everywhere. I always knew where you were, and your call for help was the exact call I needed to reach you."

"What do you mean?"

"Katherine, you are one of my children. I was there the day your parents brought you in to this world, and I was there the day that you were born again into the Circle, where you truly belong. I was even there when the angel, Vasa, performed your marriage ceremony to Dean Winchester."

"I can't imagine you were please about that," Kat commented.

"Oh please, the whole 'cavorting with non-magicks' thing? Not my idea," Gaia said, taking another sip. "The point is, my dear, you're special. You were special from the moment you were born, and you will be special to the day you die."

"The day I die…right," Kat said through a bite of sandwich. At that, Gaia put down her teacup and looked at Kat, seriousness darkening her eyes.

"That's actually why I'm here, Katherine," Gaia said. "The ritual you want to perform to release Sarakiel from heaven…You need to reconsider."

"I have, Mother. Multiple times," Kat said. "And I have seen no other way for Sara to be free. If I don't do this, then there is almost no hope for the world. For humanity."

"Katherine…"

"My sacrifice will help save the world," Kat insisted. "I can help save millions of lives."

"And what about the lives that matter to you?" Gaia asked softly. "What about Sam? The Angel Castiel? Sarakiel?...Dean?"

"I don't want to do to Dean," Kat said. "I really don't. But, he knows that we have to do whatever we can to stop the Apocalypse. We need Sara. We need an Archangel on our side."

"And I agree with you," Gaia said. "However, there is someone who can get Sara out very easily. All you have to do is ask."

"What do you mean? And why the sudden interest in me?" Kat fired back, starting to get angry.

"When you were conceived, you were marked to be one of mine. You were set to be my vessel if I ever needed one," Gaia explained. "However, you were also marked to become Sarakiel's vessel. Now, there could have been some great battle, but I wasn't foolish. I wasn't going to start something. I left that for them. Therefore, I decided to wait, leaving a more obvious mark than I would normally on your soul. Imagine my surprise when Sarakiel came to me."

"Sara came to you?"

"She was very polite, but firm in her insistence that she be allowed to utilize you as a vessel," Gaia continued. "She said that she would never put you in unnecessary danger, and that she was sure that we could come to some agreement. I have to admit, I was impressed and intrigued. I agreed to allowing her mark to remain, but on the condition that you would realize your power and become who you were born to be. She agreed. The form you're in? This was what you looked like the day you were reborn. On that day, I claimed you as my child, and you came into your own. Sara kept her end of the bargain, and was more than thrilled when you asked her for help." Kat sat quietly, listening. She didn't know what to feel.

"So…I guess I'm just a meat suit for everyone, then, huh?" she said, her voice low. Gaia shifted in her seat, getting ready for what she believed was an inevitable onslaught of anger from the young woman. She was not disappointed.

"I was marked from the beginning to be a vessel for the Pagan Goddess and an Archangel of the Lord. That means, I was meant to be used. You don't think that this makes me less than human? You don't think that maybe, just maybe, I would have wanted to make my own choices in life? AM I NOTHING BUT A TOOL TO YOU PEOPLE?!" Energy flared up around Kat as she screamed. The clearing began to turn dark as storm clouds rolled in. Gaia met her child's eyes with an even gaze. She snapped her fingers, and the weather cleared. Kat looked around, still seething.

"You are not just a tool to us, Katherine," Gaia said quietly. "You are my child, and you are Sarakiel's friend. You are the love of Dean's life. You are Ariadne's granddaughter, and you are the sister that Sam never had. We all love you, and we don't want you to hurt yourself." She got up and gently took Kat's face in her hands. "Remember what I have said. There is one who can release Sara. You only need to ask him."

"Kat!" A voice was calling to her. It was faint, like it was far away. However, Kat looked around, recognizing the voice.

"Cas?" she called back. "Where is my body?"

"In a trance in your room. Please remember what I have said," Gaia said. She gently kissed Kat's forehead, and then pushed her. Kat started falling back, through a tunnel of white light.

"Kat!" Kat's eyes snapped open. Cas was leaned over her, shaking her and calling her name.

"Cas? When did you get here?" she asked, sitting up.

"Just a moment ago. I found you passed out on the bed. Are you okay?" Cas asked, helping her up.

"I'm fine. I was just in a trance," Kat replied. "The guys should be back any second now."

"That's what I'm counting on," Cas said. Sure enough, second later, Sam and Dean walked through the door.

"I take it you got our message," Sam said. He sat down at the table as Dean closed the door.

"It's lucky you found the boy," Cas said.

"Oh yeah, real lucky," Dean said. "What do we do with him?"

"Kill him," Cas stated simply. All three hunters stopped what they were doing and stared at the angel.

"Cas?" Dean asked.

"The child is half demon and half human," Cas said. "But it's far more powerful than either. Other cultures call this hybrid cambion or katako. You know him as the antichrist." Cas sat down, and a loud flatulent sound emitted. Cas suddenly looked horribly uncomfortable. "That wasn't me," he said. He reached down and pulled out a deflated whoopee cushion.

"Who put that there?" Dean asked, a grin on his face.

"Anyway, I don't get it," Sam said. "Jesse is the devil's son?"

"No, of course not," Cas explained. "Your Bible gets more wrong than it does right. The antichrist is not Lucifer's child. It's just demon spawn. But it is one of the devil's greatest weapons in the war against heaven."

"Well, if Jesse's a demonic howitzer, then what the hell's he doing in Nebraska?" Dean asked.

"The demons lost him. They can't find him," Cas said. "But they're looking."

"And they lost him because?" Kat asked.

"Because of the child's power," Cas replied. "It hides him from both angels and demons. For now."

"So, he's got, like, a force field around him," Dean reasoned. "Well, that's great. Problem solved."

"With Lucifer risen, this child grows strong," Cas continued. "Soon, he will do more than just make a few toys come to life – something that will draw the demons to him. The demons will find this child. Lucifer will twist the boy to his purpose. And then, with a word, this child will destroy the Host of Heaven." The gravity of what he was saying hit everyone like a ton of bricks.

There is one who can release Sara. You only need to ask him.

"You're saying that – that Jesse's gonna nuke the angels?" Dean asked.

"We cannot allow that to happen," Cas said.

"Wait," Sam said, standing up. "We're the good guys. We – we don't just – kill children."

"A year ago, you would have done whatever it took to win this war," Cas pointed out.

"Things change," Sam replied, moving towards Cas. Dean stepped in, putting a hand on Sam's arm and putting himself between the two.

"Okay, hey, look," Dean said. "We are not going to kill him. All right? But we can't leave Jesse here either. We know that. So…we take him to Bobby's. He'll know what to do."

"You'll kidnap him?" Cas challenged. "What is going on in this town, it's what happens when this thing his happy. You cannot imagine what it will do if it's angry. Besides, how will you hold him? With a thought, he could be halfway around the world."

"So we tell him the truth," Sam said. "You say Jesse's destined to go dark side – fine. But he hasn't yet. So, if we lay it all out for him – what he is, the apocalypse, everything – he might make the right choice." There was a long silence as everyone in the room thought about what Sam had said.

"You didn't," Cas finally said. "And I can't take that chance." With that, he vanished.

"Damn it," Sam said.

They raced to Jesse's house. As they burst through the door, they found Jesse staring at them.

"Was there a guy here?" Dean asked him. "In a trench coat?" Jesse just pointed at the floor. Standing about three inches tall was an action figure that bore a striking resemblance to Cas, holding up his silver blade. Dean picked the action figure up and put it on the mantelpiece as Jesse sat on the couch. Sam sat next to him in a chair, and Kat stood in front of the fireplace.

"Was he your friend?" Jesse asked.

"Him? No," Dean replied.

"I did that," Jesse said, still sounding a little surprised at what he did. "But how did I do that?"

"You're a superhero," Dean said.

"I am?" The little boy sounded excited.

"Yeah," Dean confirmed. Kat was surprised, and couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I mean, who else could turn someone in to a toy? You're Superman – minus the cape and go-go boots. See, my – my partner and I, we work for a secret government agency. It's our job to find kids with special powers. In fact, we're here to take you to a hidden base in South Dakota, where you'll be trained to fight evil."

"Like the X-Men?" Jesse asked.

"Exactly like the X-Men," Dean said. "In fact, the, uh, guy we're taking you to – he's even in a wheelchair. You'll be a hero. You'll save lives. You'll get the girl. Sounds like fun, right?" Suddenly, Dean was flung against the wall. A woman walked in, clearly possessed by a demon.

"They're lying to you," the demon said. Sam stood up, and was flung to the wall as well. Kat stood up and fell to the same fate. Jesse stood up.

"Stay right there, dreamboat," the demon said to Sam. "Can't hurt you. Orders. You two, on the other hand? Hurting you two's encouraged." The demon flicked her wrist, and slammed Dean against another wall. She then slammed Kat against the opposite wall.

"Leave them alone!" Jesse cried. The demon leaned down to Jesse.

"Jesse," the demon said, sweetly. "You're beautiful. You have your father's eyes."

"Who are you?" Jesse asked.

"I'm your mother," the demon replied.

"No, you're not," Jesse said, backing up slightly.

"Mm-hm," the demon said. "You're half human, half one of us."

"She means demons, Jesse!" Kat shouted. The demon straightened up and clenched her fists. Both Kat and Dean screamed in pain. She then leaned back down to the boy.

"Those people you call your parents?" she said. "They lied to you, too. You're not theirs – not really."

"My mom and dad love me," Jesse said, defiant.

"Do they?" the demon challenged. "Is—is that why they leave you alone all day? Because they love you so much? These people—these imposters—they told you that the tooth fairy was real and that your toys could hurt you and a hundred other things that aren't true. They love you so much, they made your whole life a lie. Look into your heart, Jesse. You've always known you weren't theirs. You've always known you were different. Everyone has lied to you. They're not FBI agents. And you're not a superhero."

"Then what am I?" Jesse asked, sounding confused.

"You're powerful," the demon said. "You can have anything you want. You can do anything you want."

"Don't listen to her, Jesse!" Dean cried. The demon held up a hand, and Dean groaned in pain.

"They treated you like a child. Nobody trusted you," the demon said, still talking to Jesse. "Doesn't that make you angry?" Jesse clenched his fist. The room began to rattle. The fire flared up, and the lights started flickering. "See? It does make you angry," the demon said, happy. "But I'm telling the truth, Jesse. Wouldn't it be better if there were no lies? Come with me, and you can wash it all clean. Start over. Imagine that – a world without lies."

"She's right," Sam said. "We lied to you." The demon looked at him, it's eyes black. "But I'll tell you the truth," Sam offered. The demon raised a fist. Something crunched, and Sam was trying to speak through apparent pressure in his throat. "I just…want…to tell…"

"Stop it," Jesse said. Sam suddenly dropped to the floor, gasping for breath. "I want to hear what he has to say."

"You're stronger than I thought," the demon commented. Sam stood up and continued.

"We lied to you," he said. "And I'm sorry. So here's the truth. I'm Sam Winchester. That's my brother, Dean, and his wife, Kat. W-we hunt monsters."

"Except when you are the monster, right Sammy?" the demon challenged.

"And that woman right there," Sam continued. "Her name is Julia. She's your mother. But the thing inside of her, the thing that you're talking to – it's a demon."

"A demon?" Jesse asked.

"He's done nothing but lie to you since the moment you met him," the demon snarled. "Don't listen to him. Punish him!"

"Sit down and shut up!" Jesse ordered. A chair scooted up behind the demon and forced it to sit down. She struggled to speak, but was silent.

"There's, uh, kind of a…a war between angels and demons, and…you're part of it," Sam said, ignoring the demon.

"I'm just a kid," Jesse said, upset.

"You can go with her if you want," Sam said. "I can't stop you. No one can. But if you do, millions of people will die."

"She said I was half demon. Is that true?"

"Yes, but you're half human, too," Sam answered. "You can do the right thing. You've got choices, Jesse. But if you make the wrong ones, it'll haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Why are you telling me this?!" Jesse cried.

"Because I have to believe someone can make the right choice, even if I couldn't," Sam finished. Jesse seemed to ponder this for a moment. Then, he clenched his fist and looked at the demon.

"Get out of her," he ordered. Much to everyone's surprise, the chair flew back against the wall, and the demon smoked out and up the chimney. Dean and Kat dropped to the ground, panting.

"How did you do that?" Kat asked.

"I just did," Jesse replied.

"Kid, you're awesome," Dean commented.

"Is she gonna be all right?" Jesse asked, looking at an unconscious Julia.

"Eventually," Dean replied, looking at her. He then leaned over and picked up the action figure Castiel, who had fallen from the mantelpiece at some point. "Look, uh, truth is, he's kind of a buddy of mine. Is there any way you could turn him back?" Dean asked.

"He tried to kill me," Jesse pointed out.

"Right, uh…but he's…he's a good guy. He's just confused," Dean said. Jesse didn't reply. "Okay, it's been a long night. We'll…we'll talk about it later." Dean put Cas back on the mantel.

"What now?" Jesse asked.

"Now we take you someplace safe, get you trained up. You'd be handy in a fight, kid," Dean replied.

"What if I don't want to fight?" Jesse said.

"Jesse," Sam said, moving forward. "You're powerful. More powerful than…pretty much anything we've ever seen. That makes you…"

"A freak," Jesse finished.

"To some people, maybe," Sam acquiesced.

"But not to us," Kat said. "See, we're kind of freaks ourselves."

"I can't stay here, can I?" Jesse said, already knowing the answer.

"No," Dean replied. "The demons know where you are, and more will be coming."

"I can't go without my mom and dad," Jesse insisted.

"Where are they?" Kat asked.

"The guy in the coat said that they would sleep until morning," Jesse replied.

"There's nothing more important than family," Sam said. "We get that. And if you really want to take them with you, we'll back your play. But you got to understand – it's gonna be dangerous for them, too."

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked.

"Our dad," Dean said. "He would take us with him wherever he went."

"Where is he now?"

"Dead," Sam answered. "A demon killed him."

"Look, Jesse," Dean said. "once you're in this fight, you're in it till the end, win or lose."

"What should I do?"

"We can't tell you," Sam admitted. "It's your choice. It's not fair. I know."

"Can I go see my parents?" Jesse asked. "I need to say goodbye."

"Sure," Dean said. As Jesse went upstairs, Kat saw something in his eyes. She knew that look, so she quietly followed him. After Jesse checked in on his parents, he went into his room and flopped down on the bed.

"Hey," Kat said. "Where you thinking of going?"

"Who said I was going anywhere without you?" Jesse asked.

"I've seen that look before, kid. I've seen it on Sam, and I've seen it on Dean. Hell, I've seen it in my own eyes. You're planning on running. Difference here is that we won't be able to find you if you don't want us to."

"You're not going to talk me out of it?"

"Would that change anything?" Kat asked, a wry smile on her face. Jesse merely nodded. "I didn't come up here to stop you, kid. I'm actually here for a favor. There's someone that needs help. Can you help her?"

HEAVEN:

Sarakiel had been patient. Her time had been spent honing her skills as a warrior, as well as figuring out how to manipulate holy fire, something that she didn't think was even possible for an archangel. Even as she finished a practice, the walls of her cell began to shake. One by one, the wards started disappearing. As more vanished, an angel rushed in. Sara recognized the angel as Ephram, one who was loyal to Michael.

"What's going on?" Sara smiled. Her wings flared up behind her and her eyes blazed blue as her grace flared to life.

"Tell Michael what happened here. Tell him I'm free…and I'm coming for him," Sara ordered. There was a flash and she vanished. Ephram looked around at the now empty room.

"Oh no."

EARTH:

Kat suddenly felt a wonderfully familiar presence. She looked at Jesse with a grateful smile on her face.

"Thank you, Jesse," Kat said. "Good luck." Jesse smiled, and then disappeared. Kat looked up at the light now shining down.

"Always yes, my friend," she said. Kat felt a warm feeling enter her, and she suddenly felt happier then she had in a long time.

Sarakiel opened her eyes and found herself in a bedroom. Searching Kat's memories got her up to speed as much as she could before a presence entered the room. Her gray eyes sparkled as she saw Cas standing there.

"Hello Castiel," she said. Cas looked at her, and his blue eyes grew wide and happy.

"Sarakiel?" he said, his voice full of hope. When Sara nodded, he immediately hugged her.

"I missed you so much," he said, his face buried in the crook of her neck. Sara hugged him back, relishing in the warmth of his embrace.

"I missed you too, Cas," she said, a hand tangling its way into his brown hair. As they pulled away from each other, the door opened to reveal Sam and Dean.

"He's gone," Cas said, looking at the two of them.

"Where?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Cas replied. "Jesse put everyone in town back to normal – the ones still alive. Then, he vanished." Sara's grey eyes continued to sparkle as she beheld the Winchesters.

"Kat, are you okay?" Sam asked. Dean looked into her eyes, and realized with a jolt that the fire behind them was different. He walked forward slightly.

"Sara?" When Sara nodded, Dean didn't even hesitate. He walked over to her and pulled her into a bear hug.

"God, I have never been happier to see someone in my entire life," he said.

"I'm glad to see you, too, Dean," Sara said, returning the hug. She mimicked the action for Sam, enjoying the massive embrace from the taller of the brothers.

"So how do we find Jesse?" Dean asked.

"With the boy's powers, we can't," Cas said. "Not unless he wants to be found." The boys sighed.

"Could you guys give us a moment?" Sara asked. "I need to talk to Cas alone." Dean looked at her for a moment, and then walked out without a word.

"Call us when you're done," Sam said before he followed his brother out. Once they were gone, Sara turned back to Castiel. Before she could open her mouth, he captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. One hand held the back of her head, pulling her deeper into the kiss, while the other one wrapped around her waist. Sara, surprised for only a moment, returned the gesture. Her hands slid up his chest and slid around the back of his neck, fingers tangling into his dark hair. When they broke apart, Cas rested his forehead on Sara's, both of them breathing heavily, eyes closed.

"I promised Kat that when you returned, I would tell you how I feel," Cas said quietly.

"That's one way to do it," Sara replied, smiling slightly. "Castiel…I…"

"I love you, Sarakiel," he said. "I believe I've felt this way about you for centuries now. I can't explain why…I just do." Sara gave a delighted giggle, a smile gracing her face.

"I feel the same way, Castiel," Sara whispered. Cas also managed a smile, and the two kissed again. It was gentle this time, as if sealing their confession of love. Once finished, Sara backed up and looked at him. "I'm going to lay low for a while, Castiel. I'm technically a fugitive right now."

"I understand," Cas replied, nodding. "Be careful." Sara gave him one more kiss, his hand, gently cupping her cheek.

"You too," Sara replied. She called the boys and met up with them in the Impala.

"So, you back with us for good?" Dean asked when she appeared.

"I'll have to lay low for a while, but yes, I'm back for good," Sara replied.

"What do you mean, lay low?" Sam asked, turning around to look at her.

"I was broken out of a prison in Heaven, Sam," Sara explained. "I'm a fugitive."

"So does that mean that Kat…" Dean began.

"Kat stays with you. She is the safest with the two of you. I would be foolish to think otherwise," Sara replied. "I'll just be back in his subconscious. I'll pop out from time to time, but it will be sparse at best."

"Got it," Dean replied, although he didn't seem too happy about the arrangement.

"Dean, don't worry. I won't peek in on any…special moments," Sara assured him. With that, she took a deep breath, and a few minutes later, Kat was back.

"Welp, Sara's back," she said.

"Sammy, get your own room, tonight," Dean said. Sam didn't say another word. He merely nodded.


	18. Blow, Gabriel, Blow

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 8: Changing Channels

Kat was sitting at a motel table, reading up on the case that brought them to Wellington, Ohio. A local man had his head ripped off. Local police were calling it a bear attack, but considering that the man had been attacked in his bedroom on the second floor of his house, no one was sure. Kat had even asked Sara, who was still lying low, hiding from the angels that were out hunting for her. Sara agreed that the local PD was full of it. Sam had invited Sara to come along, but she was being unusually quiet this time around.

Kat glanced over at Dean, who was wearing his fed suit, and paying close attention to the scene on the TV. A male and female doctor were making out in a storage room.

"What are you watching?" Sam asked as he came out of the bathroom, tightening his tie.

"Hospital show," Dean replied, not looking at his brother. "Dr. Sexy, MD. I think it's based on a book."

"When did you hit menopause?" Sam teased, walking in front of his brother. "Watch out, Kat. It'll be book and wine parties, next," he added to Kat, who was already dressed.

"It's called channel surfing," Dean said, getting up and turning the TV off.

"You've been watching it for 20 minutes, Dean," Kat pointed out, putting the files down. Dean stuck out his tongue at his wife. "You guys ready?"

"Are you?" Sam asked, putting his jacket on. Dean just glared at his brother, and the three of them walked out of the motel room.

At the police station, the officer on duty seemed confused at their presence.

"One more time," he said. "The FBI is here why, exactly?"

"Might have something to do with one of your locals getting his head ripped off," Dean replied.

"Bill Randolph died from a bear attack," the officer said.

"How sure are you that it was a bear?" Sam asked him.

"What else would it be?"

"Well, whatever it was, it chased Mr. Randolph through the woods, smashed through his front door, followed him up the stairs, and killed him in his bedroom," Kat replied.

"Is that common? A bear doing all that?" Dean asked.

"Depends how pissed off it is," the officer replied, though even he didn't seem sure of his answer. "Look, the Randolphs live way up in high country. You got trout runs to make a grown man weep. And bears."

"Right," Sam said, still not buying a word. "Now, what about Mrs. Randolph? The file says she saw the whole thing."

"Yes, she did," the officer answered. "My heart goes out to that poor woman."

"She said bear," Dean said, looking to confirm. After a pause, the officer leaped into an explanation.

"Kathy Randolph went through a hell of a trauma. She's confused," he said.

"What did she say?" Sam asked.

Sam and Kat went in to the interview room where Kathy Randolph was sitting. The poor woman was in shock, so the two gentle hunters were chosen to talk to her.

"No, it must have been a bear," she was saying. Both Sam and Kat could tell that she didn't believe what she was saying.

"Mrs. Randolph, what do you think it was?" Sam asked gently.

"No, I…I remember clearly now," she said. She still sounded as though she was trying to convince herself. "It was definitely a bear."

"We're sure it was," Kat said. "But see, it helps us to hear every angle. So just tell us what you thought you saw."

"It's impossible," Kathy said after a minute. "But…I could have sworn I saw…the Incredible Hulk."

"The Incredible Hulk," Sam repeated, now sounding even more unsure.

"I told you it was crazy," Kathy said.

"Bana or Norton?" Kat asked.

"Oh no, those movies were terrible," Kathy replied. "The TV Hulk." Kat had to give her credit for taste.

"Lou Ferrigno," Kat said, sparking Kathy's memory.

"Yes."

"Spiky-hair Lou Ferrigno," Kat repeated.

"Yes." Kat nodded, and looked at Sam. "You think I'm crazy," Kathy continued.

"No," Kat replied quickly. "It's just…is there, uh…would there be any reason that Lou Ferrigno, the Incredible Hulk, would have a grudge against your husband?"

"No," Kathy replied, the answer that both Kat and Sam were expecting.

Dean was reading an article on his laptop, sitting across from Kat, who was answering emails, when Sam walked back in from doing research.

"Hey," he greeted them when he walked in.

"Find anything?" Dean asked him.

"Well, uh, I saw the house," Sam said.

"And?"

"And there is a giant eight-foot-wide hole where the front door used to be," Sam replied. "Almost like…"

"A Hulk-sized hole," Kat finished for him.

"Maybe," Sam said. "What do you guys have?"

"Well," Dean said, turning to the article on his laptop. "It turns out that Bill Randolph had quite the temper. He's got two counts of spousal battery, bar brawls, and court-ordered anger management sessions. You might say you wouldn't like him when he's angry."

"So a hothead getting killed by TV's greatest hothead," Sam summed up. "Kinda sounds like just desserts, doesn't it?" Dean snorted. "It's all starting to make sense."

"How?" Kat asked him.

'Well, I found something else at the crime scene," Sam said. He pulled a handful of candy wrappers out of his pocket. "Candy wrappers. Lots of them," he said, dropping them on the table.

"Just desserts, sweet tooth, screwing with people before you kill 'em," Dean said, thinking. "We're dealing with the Trickster, aren't we?"

"Sure looks like it," Sam said.

"Trickster?" Kat asked.

"A while back, Sam and I worked this case where people were dying under very strange circumstances. Turns out, a trickster was behind all of it. They're powerful beings, and have a sweet tooth as big as their imagination. Same one came back after we thought we'd killed him before Lilith took my soul," Dean explained. "Good. I've wanted to gank that mother since Mystery Spot."

"You sure?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Dean answered.

"No, I mean are you sure you wanna kill him?" Sam asked again.

"Son of a bitch didn't think twice about icing me a thousand times," Dean pointed out. Kat remembered Sam telling her about the Mystery Spot case, where he had seen Dean die hundreds of times thanks to this Trickster.

"No, I know," Sam said. "I mean, I'm just saying…"

"What are you saying?" Dean challenged. "If you don't want to kill him, then what?"

"Talk to him?" Sam offered.

"What?"

"Think about it, Dean. He's one of the most powerful creatures we've ever met," Sam said. "Maybe we can use him."

"For what?"

"Okay, Trickster's like a Hugh Hefner type, right?" Sam reasoned. "Wine, woman, song – maybe he doesn't want the party to end. Maybe he hates this angels and demons stuff as much as we do. Maybe he'll help us."

"You're serious," Dean said, looking at his brother.

"Yeah."

"Ally with the Trickster."

"Yeah."

"A bloody, violent monster, and you wanna be Facebook friends with him? Nice, Sammy," Dean scoffed.

"The world is gonna end," Sam pointed out. "We don't have the luxury of a moral stand. Look, I'm just saying it's worth a shot, that's all. If it doesn't work, we'll kill him."

"How are we gonna find the guy, anyway?" Dean sighed.

"Well, he never takes just one victim, right?" Sam said. "He'll show."

All they could do was wait. Dean started sharpening a wooden stake while Sam sat at the scanner. Kat was looking up any way to trap a trickster when a call came in.

"Uh, Dispatch?" an officer said. "I…I got a possible 187 out here at the old paper mill on Route 6?"

"Roger that," the dispatcher said. "What are you looking at, son?" Dean stopped what he was doing and paid attention to the call.

"Honestly, Walt, I….I wouldn't even know how to describe what I'm seeing. Just…send everybody."

"All right, stay calm," the dispatcher said. "Stay by your car. Help's on the way." Sam turned off the scanner.

"That sounds weird," Dean said.

"Weird enough to be our guy," Sam confirmed. Kat got up to join them, but Dean stopped her.

"Oh hell no," Dean said. "I'm not letting him get to you."

"Dean, you need all the help you can get," Kat protested.

"I gotta agree with Dean, Kat," Sam said. "This guy is good, and we don't know what he'll do to you."

"Just stay put," Dean said. "We'll call you when we're done."

"If I don't hear anything in 12 hours, I'm coming for you," Kat said. Dean was gonna fight it, but a gentle tug on the arm from Sam cut him off. Dean nodded, leaned down and kissed his wife, and then left with Sam. Kat sighed and turned back to her computer, decided to get some more work done.

Twelve hours, and nothing. Kat had started worrying after four, but after twelve, she was ready to have a heart attack.

Calm yourself, Sara said inside her head. Freaking out isn't going to help.

Nothing is going to help if I'm still here, Kat replied. She grabbed her coat and hailed a taxi. The driver was confused as to why she was going there, but she gave him a huge tip and let him go.

Wait, Sara said. Something's off. Kat stopped next to the Impala, which was just sitting there.

Just something? Kat asked. A lot is off! Dean would never leave Baby just sitting there.

It's not just that… Sara sounded both worried and hopeful. This power…this presence…I feel like I know it.

Well, there's only one way to find out, Kat said. Pulling out her gun and taking a breath, she walked in to the warehouse.

It was night, and a crime scene lay before her. Looking down, Kat was in a police uniform, a dead body lying at her feet. Across the crime scene, wearing suits and sunglasses, were Sam and Dean. Her heart leaped to see that they were okay.

"Guys!" she called, waving at them. She then watched in confusion as, in slow motion, they crossed the crime scene tape and looked at the body, sunglasses still on. Oh hell, she cursed internally. It was a procedural cop show…Dean's least favorite.

"What do we got?" Dean asked an officer standing next to Kat, putting a little swagger in his stance. Said officer kneeled down next to the body.

"Well, aside from the ligature marks around his neck, he has what appears to be a roll of jammed down his throat," he said. Dean grabbed a flashlight and looked closer at the body.

"Well I say, Jackpot," Sam quipped, removing his sunglasses. Kat had to stifle a groan. They were playing along for some reason, which was especially weird for Dean. Sam made eye contact with her and winked, glancing at the officer who was kneeling next to the body. Kat looked again, and saw that he was holding a lollipop in his hand. Kat nodded and went about playing her role.

"Also, there is a stab wound in the lower abdomen," the officer continued, motioning to a bloodstain with his lollipop. Dean grabbed a stick and poked the hole at the center of the bloodstain. When the stick came up bloody, he stood up and put his sunglasses back on.

"Well I say, no guts, no glory," he purred. The officer started laughing.

"Get that guy a tums," Sam said, putting his sunglasses back on.

"Gutter ball," Dean said. The officer kept laughing.

"Good one, guys," he said. Dean walked toward Kat, winked, and handed her the stick. It was the stake he had been working on earlier that day. Nodding, she walked over to the officer and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned, she rammed the stick into his heart. The officer collapsed in front of her, and none of the extras did anything…except for another officer, who started laughing. Kat's heart stopped. She had stabbed the wrong guy! She turned around as the laughing officer morphed into a man with golden eyes and brown hair. As soon as she saw him, Kat felt Sara start freaking out in her brain.

It can't be! She was saying over and over again.

"You've got the wrong guy, idiots," the man, who Kat assumed was the Trickster, said.

"Did we?" Dean asked. Sam suddenly appeared behind the Trickster and rammed the stake into his heart from behind. The Trickster collapsed, and there was static.

They all found themselves back in the warehouse, dressed in what they had been wearing when they went in. Agreeing to just leave, they went back to the motel to sleep everything off.

The next morning, Kat awoke to the sound of Dean talking to Sam while brushing his teeth.

"I'm worried, man," Dean was saying. "What that SOB did to Cas. You know, where is he?" When Sam didn't answer, Kat sat up and looked around. Sam was nowhere to be seen. The shower wasn't running, which meant that he wasn't there. Dean apparently had noticed, too. "Sam?" he called. "Where are you?"

"I don't know where he went, Dean," Kat said, getting up and changing her clothes. "But we need to talk. When I saw the Trickster last night, Sara was freaking out. She kept saying that it wasn't possible, like she knew him."

"Yeah, Sam said Cas had the same look on his face when he saw the Trickster," Dean said, gathering up his coat and keys. "Let's find Sam, and then we can find Cas." Kat agreed, finished changing, and walked out with him. Dean started calling every phone Sam had, leaving messages on each one.

"Sam, it's me," he said into the last one. "Where the hell did you go?" He and Kat got in the car, and suddenly, a voice came out of nowhere.

"Dean?" It was Sam's voice. Kat and Dean looked around, but Sam wasn't in the car.

"Sam?" Dean called.

"Where are you?" Kat called.

"I don't know," Sam replied. Then, Dean and Kat looked at the dashboard, and their stomachs dropped. There was a new display of keys, as well as what looked like a voice simulator. "Oh crap," Sam said. Red lines moved on the screen, and everyone realized what had happened. "I don't think we killed the Trickster," Sam said. Dean groaned and started the car…or, as it turned out, Sam.

Sara, what's going on? Kat asked as they drove off, the whirring sound of Kit from Knight Rider was persistant.

Kat, let me take control, Sara ordered. Kat merely agreed. As Dean looked over at Kat, ready to ask her a question, her eyes flashed blue, signaling Sara's arrival.

"Sara, I was just gonna ask to talk to you," he said. "I don't think what we're dealing with is a trickster."

"You're right, he's not," Sara said, her voice low and almost sad. "The problem is…what you're dealing with shouldn't even be here. I thought he was dead."

"Who is he?" Sam asked.

"I have to see him again to be sure. It's not always clear when I'm looking from the backseat," Sara replied.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Dean said.

They parked at Centennial Point Wilderness Area. Dean was rummaging around in the trunk while Sara stared around, looking for this Trickster.

"Dean?" Sam said.

"What?"

"That, uh, feels really uncomfortable," Sam said, meekly. Dean sighed and slammed the trunk door shut. "Ow." Dean walked around to the front of the car and looked at Sara. "You sure this is gonna work?" Sam asked.

"No, but I have no other ideas," Dean replied. He nodded to Sara, who got into the backseat of the car and hid, relinquishing control for just a moment to hide herself. Kat, who had been told everything, stayed put. "Alright, you son of a bitch!" Dean shouted at the sky. "Uncle! We'll do it!" There was nothing.

"Should I honk?" Sam offered. Dean was about to reply when the trickster appeared from nowhere.

"Wow, Sam," he said appreciatively. "Look at the rims on you."

"Eat me," Sam spat.

"Okay, boys. Ready to go quietly?" the trickster asked.

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dean said. "Not so fast. Nobody's going anywhere until Sam has opposable thumbs."

"What's the difference?" the trickster asked. "Satan's going to ride his ass one way or another." There was silence, followed by a sigh and a finger snap. The whirring stopped, and Sam got out of the Impala. "Happy?"

"Tell me one thing," Dean said. "Why didn't the stake kill you?"

"I am the Trickster," he replied.

"Or maybe you're not," Dean said. The sound of a lighter clicking preceded a whoosh of flames as the holy oil circle was ignited. "Maybe you've always been an angel." At that cue, Sara took control again and got out of the car. When she and the trickster locked gazes, Sara felt her heart stop. The trickster, who stumbled at the circle of fire surrounding him, scoffed, quickly looking away from Sara.

"A what?" he laughed. "Somebody slip a mickey in your power shake, kid?"

"I'll tell you what," Dean offered. "You just jump out of the holy fire, and we'll call it our mistake." The trickster started laughing…and then stopped. He realized that he was busted. The illusion around them vanished, and they were back in the warehouse. He began to slowly clap.

"Well played, boys. Well played," he said. "Where'd you get the holy oil?"

"Well, you might say we pulled it out of Sam's ass," Dean answered. Sam winced slightly at the memory.

"Where'd I screw up?" the trickster asked.

"You didn't," Sam said. "Nobody gets the jump on Cas like you did."

"And Sara here freaked out the minute she saw you," Dean added. "But, it was mostly the way you talked about Armageddon."

"Meaning?" the trickster asked.

"Well, call it personal experience, but nobody gets that angry unless they're talking about family," Dean answered.

"So which one are you?" Sam asked. "Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey?"

"Gabriel," Sara replied. "His name is Gabriel." As if in a trance, she slowly walked forward, not taking her eyes off of her brother.

"Gabriel? The Archangel?" Sam asked. Sara just nodded in response. Gabriel locked eyes with his sister, who just kept moving toward him. When she got to the edge of the holy fire…she didn't stop.

"Sara, wait!" Gabriel called, trying to stop her. However, she passed right through…much to everyone's surprise. It was as if the flames parted to make way for her. In her head, Sara could sense the familiar presence of the Goddess of the Wiccans protecting Kat's body. Once she was inside of the circle, she walked up to her brother and gently touched his face. Tears sprang to her gray eyes as skin made contact with skin. It was really him. With a choked cry that sounded a lot like Gabriel's name, Sara jumped and wrapped her arms around him. Gabriel was shocked for a moment, but returned the gesture, embracing his sister that he hadn't seen in thousands of years. A familiar, painful-but-warm memory flooded into his head.

Lucifer had fallen, and God had ordered Michael to trap him in Hell. Gabriel, who didn't want anything to do with the whole affair, went to find Sarakiel, who had been absent for several days. God was too busy, and Raphael and Michael didn't care. The first place he looked was the first place that he found her: her room.

Sarakiel's private quarters were full of plant life and animals. She always loved tending animals, particularly horses. She had a sizable herd in her room, and it kept growing. When Gabriel found her, she was helping a mare birth a foal. Her angelic robes were covered in blood and amniotic fluid. She was pulling on the foal's legs, helping the mare bring the foal to life. Finally, with a final whinny, the mare pushed one more time and the foal slid neatly on to the ground. The mare immediately sat up and looked back to see her newborn. Sara was cleaning the remnants of the amniotic sac away from the foal's face as the mare started cleaning it herself. Gabriel couldn't help but smile as he watched Sara examine the newborn. A look between the back legs showed her the sex of the foal, and she looked at the mother, smiling.

"It's a boy," she said to the horse, who snuffled in response. The little foal moved a little, responding to his mother's ministrations. Gabriel watched his sister smile as the foal began to try to get up and walk. She let out a giggle as it squeaked a little as it fell. "Jonah," she said softly, naming the little stallion. "Your name is Jonah." Once the mare and her newborn were safely away, Gabriel approached his sister.

"Hey," he called. "That was something to see."

"I thought it would help keep me distracted," Sara said, still watching the new mother and child. The glimmer in her eyes had faded as current events crashed back into her awareness. "She was having trouble with him. If I didn't help, they both could have died."

"But you saved them both," Gabriel said. "That's something."

"I guess," Sara agreed, her voice not comforting him at all.

"Listen, Sara," Gabriel began.

"Don't try to make me feel better, Gabe," she interrupted him, getting up and dusting off her robes. With every swipe, the fluids fell away, leaving her clothes as white and clean as they were before. "Dad just banished our brother…for something that He caused. I can't…I can't even…" and she started crying again. Gabriel didn't know what to say. His heart ached for Sara. He hated seeing her cry like this, especially over family. Ignoring her previous order to leave her be, he pulled her in to a hug and held her close.

"I know," he said softly, gently stroking her hair. Sara, too upset to fight him, just allowed herself to be embraced. She nuzzled closer to her brother, feeling the warmth of his embrace and the gentle touch on her hair. "The whole thing is stupid. None of us wanted this to happen, not even Dad, I think." A dirisive scoff from Sara made him scoff himself. "Yeah, that sounded better in my head. But seriously, I didn't want this to happen. I'm upset, too. You know how Raphael and Michael can get, though. Archangel's shouldn't be sentimental, we need to be void of emotion, blah blah blah." That made Sara giggle, and Gabriel smiled. He leaned back and put his hand under his sister's chin, gently making her look at him. She had a small smile on her face, but tears still streamed down her face. With a warm smile and a gentle touch, Gabriel wiped the tears from his sister's face. "There's my baby sis," he said when he finished. "It's all gonna be okay, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Sara said softly, that small smile still on her face. Gabriel chuckled and hugged her again. This was a promise that he would make every effort to keep.

Of course…he ended up not keeping it, especially when he bounced from Heaven.

CRACK!

A sharp strike to the side of his face sent him careening to the ground as Sara's fist made contact, waking him from his reverie. He hit the ground as he heard both Dean and Sam react to Sara's punch. Rubbing the side of his face, he looked back at Sara, whose face was a picture of fury. Angry tears stained her face, and her eyes were burning, both with the reflection of the holy fire and with her own inner rage.

"Where the hell were you!?" she screamed. "You just up and leave without telling anyone?! I thought you were dead!" The archangel was in a rage. Gabriel could see her wings flared up behind her, raised in a display of dominance.

"Sara," Gabriel began, but the holy fire flared up with her own power.

"You left me alone with…with…them!" she screamed. In the light of the holy fire, Dean and Sam could see the shadow of her wings. "Where were you?!"

"My own private witness protection," Gabriel said, getting up. "I skipped out of heaven, had a face transplant, carved out my own little corner of the world. 'Till these two screwed it all up." He pointed the Winchesters.

"What did Daddy say when you're an off and joined the pagans?" Dean asked, his eyes flicking between Gabriel and Sara.

"Daddy doesn't say anything about anything," Gabriel said, still keeping a wary eye on his fuming sister.

"Then what happened? Why'd you ditch?" Sam asked.

"Do you blame him?" Dean asked his brother. "I mean, his brothers are heavyweight douchnozzles."

"Shut your cakehole," Gabriel snapped. "You don't know anything about my family. I love my father, my brothers, Sara. Love them. But watching them turn on each other? Tear at each other's throats? I couldn't bear it! Okay? So, I left. And now it's happening all over again."

"Oh, and I could deal with it?" Sara spat. Gabriel sighed and turned to his sister.

"Sarakiel, you're stronger than me. You always have been," he said. "Remember when Lucifer fell? Remember where I found you? Helping a horse give birth. You were calm the whole time I watched you. Our family was falling apart, and you were attending to business. Sure, you were still hurting, but you put your pain aside to help someone in need. You're stronger, more powerful, and more level headed than any of us ever were, including Dad."

"You could have told me where you were," Sara said, her anger turning to sorrow. Gabriel couldn't answer.

"If you don't want it to happen, then help us stop it," Sam said.

"It can't be stopped," Gabriel replied.

"You wanna see the end of the world?" Dean asked.

"I want it to be over!" Gabriel shouted. "Sara and I have to sit back and watch my own brothers kill each other thanks to you two! Heaven, hell, I don't care who wins. I just want it to be over."

"It doesn't have to be like that," Sam said. "There has to be some way to pull the plug." Gabriel laughed.

"You do not know my family," he said. "What you guys call the apocalypse, I used to call Sunday dinner. That's why there's no stopping this, because this isn't about war. It's about two brothers that loved each other and betrayed each other. You'd think you'd be able to relate."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

"You sorry sons of bitches," Gabriel scoffed. "Why do you think you two are the vessels? Think about it. Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father, and Lucifer, the little brother, rebellious of Daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! As it is in heaven, so it must be on earth. One brother has to kill the other."

"What the hell are you saying?" Dean demanded.

"Why do you think I've always taken such an interest in you?" Gabriel fired back. "Because from the moment Dad flipped on the lights around here, we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always." Dean and Sam both looked at Sara, whose rage had subsided slightly. She met each of their gazes, sighed, and nodded, confirming what Gabriel said. The brothers looked down, and then at each other.

"No," Dean finally said. "That's not gonna happen."

"I'm sorry, but it is," Gabriel said. "Guys, I wish this were a TV show. Easy answers, endings wrapped up in a bow…but this is real, and it's gonna end bloody for all of us. That's just how it's gotta be." There was a long silence, until Gabriel decided to break it. "So…boys…now what? We stare at each other for the rest of eternity?"

"Well, first of all, you're gonna bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him," Dean ordered. Sara walked back through the circle and faced her brother, standing next to Dean.

"Oh, am I?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah, or we're gonna dunk you in holy oil and deep fry ourselves an archangel," Dean said. Gabriel looked at them, and then at Sara.

"And I'll let them, Gabriel," she said. Defeated, Gabriel snapped his fingers, and Cas appeared. He was out of breath and cut up, but he looked all right. Sara immediately went to him.

"Cas, you okay?" Dean asked as Sara looked him over.

"I'm fine," he said. He then looked at the trapped archangel. "Hello, Gabriel."

"Hey bro," Gabriel said, his voice full of sarcastic bile. "How's the hunt for Daddy going? Let me guess: awful." Cas just glared at him for a minute before turning to Sara.

"Are you hurt?" he asked her.

"Just emotionally," Sara admitted. Cas gave a tired grin and kissed her.

"Wait…him?" Gabriel said. "Seriously? Little Cassie?!" It was Sara's turn to glare at her brother.

"Like you have any room to talk," she sneered. Gabriel acquiesced, shrugging his admittance. "Wait…that's your wife she's riding, Dean. Are you okay with this?"

"Kat loves me," Dean said. "She's been pushing for Sara and Cas to get together for a long time. I trust her. Okay, we're out of here. Come on, Sam." Dean turned and walked away, Sam following him. Cas and Sara followed behind Sam.

"Uh…okay…guys?" Gabriel called. "So, so what, huh? You just gonna…you're just gonna leave me here forever?" Dean stopped at the door and turned back to the archangel.

"No, we're not," Dean said. "'Cause we don't screw with people the way you do. And for the record? This isn't about some prize fight between your brothers, or some destiny that can't be stopped. This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family." Dean reached over and pulled the fire alarm, causing the sprinkler system to activate. "Don't say I never did anything for you," he called as they left the building. The Winchesters walked out of the building. Cas and Sara stopped and looked at Gabriel for a minute before leaving themselves.

Outside, the boys gave Cas and Sara a moment alone.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said.

"I'm still uncertain if you are," Cas replied.

"I will be," Sara said. "I just need some time." She looked over at the impala, where Sam and Dean were waiting. She then turned back to Cas and gave him a deep, loving kiss. "Be careful," she whispered.

"You, too," he said. Sara nodded, closed her eyes, and Kat came back. When she opened her eyes, she grinned at Cas.

"I'm really glad you didn't have to help me with the ritual," she said.

"As am I," Cas agreed. Kat gave him a quick hug, and then rejoined Dean and Sam.

"Everything good?" Dean said, learning that he was beginning to recognize the difference between Kat and Sara.

"I think so," Kat replied. "We probably won't be hearing anything from Sara for a while. This hit her pretty hard."

"I bet," Sam agreed.

"At any rate, let's get going," Kat said. Dean and Sam nodded, and they climbed in the car.

Sara…are you going to be okay? Kat asked as she buckled up in the back seat. She didn't get an answer. In fact, she could only just sense her presence. Choosing to let it go, Kat sat up as Baby rumbled to life.

There was still plenty of work to do.


	19. To Cosplay, or Not to Cosplay?

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 9: The Real Ghostbusters.

The Winchesters pulled up to the Pineview Hotel in Ohio. They had received an urgent message from Chuck, asking them to come to the address included in the message. The car had barely squealed in to park when the three of them jumped out. As Dean ran around behind the car, he was confused to see a line of Impalas that were the same year as his. Kat had barely noticed, because her eyes saw a nervous Chuck Shurley pacing outside of the hotel.

"Chuck!" Sam called. "There you are!"

"Guys?" Chuck said, surprised to see them.

"What's going on?" Dean asked as they ran up to him.

"Ah, nothing," Chuck said, still sounding nervous. "You know, I'm just kinda hanging. What are you guys doing here?"

"You told us to come," Kat said.

"Ah, no…I didn't," Chuck said, now as confused as they were.

"Yeah, you did," Sam said. "You texted me. This address, life or death situation. Any of this ringing a bell?"

"I didn't send you a text," Chuck insisted.

"We drove all night!" Dean exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what could…oh no," Chuck said, as if suddenly realizing what was going on.

"What?" Dean asked. Chuck was about to answer, but a shriek cut through their conversation.

"SAM! You made it!" They all turned to the stairs of the hotel, and saw a blonde girl running down them as quickly as she could, a mile-wide smile on her face.

"Oh…ah…Becky, right?" Sam asked. They all knew exactly who she was, but none of them wanted to admit it.

"Oh, you remembered," she said, gleefully. Then, her voice got low, as if an attempt at seduction. "You've been thinking about me."

"I…" Sam stuttered.

"It's okay, I can't get you out of my head, either!" she exclaimed.

"Becky, did you take my phone?" Chuck asked.

"I just borrowed it from your pants," she replied, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Becky…" Chuck groaned.

"What? They're going to want to see it!" she said.

"See what?" all three Winchester asked simultaneously.

"Oh my god, I love it when they talk at the same time!" Becky squealed.

"Hey Chuck?" a voice called down. At the top of the stairs, a man in a yellow polo and holding a clipboard was looking at them. "Come on, pal. It's showtime." Becky gave another squeal, and ran up the stairs. Chuck turned to the three of them.

"Guys, I'm sorry…for everything," Chuck said, and followed Becky up the stairs. The Winchesters looked at each other, and followed Chuck.

When they walked inside, a larger man with a large beer stein walked past.

"Ha ha ha. Hey Dean, looking good," he said, and continued walking.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean asked. The man turned around. He was wearing Dean's signature plain tshirt and flannel combination, complete with an amulet around his neck.

"I'm Dean too, duh," he said. The more the three of them looked around, the more Kat realized what was going on.

"Oh no," she said.

"Oh no? What do you mean, oh no?" Dean asked. Just then, a guy dressed as a scarecrow came up to them.

"Uh-oh," he said, somewhat lamely. "It's Sam and Dean. I'm in trouble now! Have fun, you two! AHH!" He jiggled his scythe, which was held in the opposite hand of a can of pop, in Sam's face, before walking away. Kat looked at Sam, who had his bitchface on at maximum efficiency. Dean was doing a decent version of it, as well. Behind them, Becky was giggling. Around the room, various people were dressed up as different monsters that Dean and Sam had fought, including some that Kat recognized. There were even some people dressed as Bobby.

"I know what this is," Kat groaned. As much as she admired cosplayers, and the effort it took to make their costumes, this was just…spooky.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"It's awesome!" Becky said as they looked at her. "A supernatural convention, the first ever." Kat looked over her shoulder at the cosplayers, and grabbed Dean's hand, lacing her fingers through his. There were many things she could handle. This was not one of them.

Becky showed them into the auditorium of the hotel, where everyone was gathered. The man in the yellow polo stepped up to the mic.

"Welcome to the first annual Supernatural convention," he said. "At 3:45 in the Magnolia room, we have the panel 'Frightened Little Boy: the Secret Life of Dean'. And at 4:30, there's the 'Homoerotic Subtext of Supernatural'." Dean, who was still holding on to Kat's hand, squeezed harder. Sam just looked angry. "Oh, and of course, the big hunt starts at 7pm, sharp." That brought cheers and applause from the audience. "But, right now…right now, I'd like to introduce the man himself. The creator, the writer of the supernatural books. The one, the only, Carver Edlund!" The cheering and applause got louder as Chuck took the stage, as timid as ever. The three Winchesters in the back were completely stonefaced. While Kat wasn't in the books, she was probably going to be the only thing that kept Dean and Sam from killing someone. To calm them both down, Kat squeezed Sam's hand as well. As she did, she met Becky's eyes. The fangirl gave her the foulest glare Kat had ever encountered. However, she kept her gaze even, and returned her attention to Chuck.

"Ok," Chuck said, getting feedback from the mic. "Okay, good…this isn't nearly as awkward as I…." he started clearing his throat. "Dry mouth." He took several long gulps from a bottle of water. The room was completely silent as he did so. "Ok," he said when he was finished. "Uh….ahem….So, I guess…questions?" When that word left his lips, every hand in the assembled audience when up. Kat actually felt bad for the poor author. After being a complete shut in for so long, he was forced in front of a crowd of people who had no problem saying that they adored his work. Furthermore, she knew that he couldn't tell them the truth, so he was lying to them. Chuck pointed to a skinny boy in the front row, who jumped up.

"Hey, Mr. Edlund," he said. "Uh…big fan. I was just wondering, where'd you come up with Sam and Dean in the first place?" Chuck looked back at the real Sam and Dean, who both had cocked their heads, feigning interest at his answer…and daring him to come up with something good. Kat squeezed both of their hands sharply, giving them each a "you'd-better-behave-or-so-help-me-I'll-let-Sara-at-you-two" look.

"Oh…ah…I…it just came to me," he replied. Hands went back up, and Chuck pointed to another person. "Yeah, the hook man." Said hook man stood up, his speech bearing a thick German accent.

"Ah yeah, why in every fight scene, Sam and Dean are having their gun knocked away by the bad guy? Why don't they keep it on some kind of bungee?" Now, Kat was glaring daggers at this guy's head. Fangirls and fanboys were bad enough, but the trolls…she hated the trolls.

"I…yeah, I really don't know," Chuck replied, floored by the question.

"Ja, follow up. Why can't Sam and Dean be telling that Ruby is evil?" the German troll continued. "I mean, she is clearly manipulating Sam into some kind of moral lapse. It's obvious, nein?"

"HEY!" Becky shouted, storming down the side of the rows. "If you don't like the books, don't read 'em, Fritz!" she snarled. Chuck calmed her down from the stage and took the next question.

"Yeah, at the end of the last book, Dean goes to Hell," the chosen fan asked. "So, what happens next?"

"Oh," Chuck replied. "Well, there lies an announcement, actually. You're all going to find out." The Winchesters looked at him suspiciously as the crowd started murmuring. "Thanks to a wealthy Scandinavian investor, we're going to start publishing again." Becky started jumping up and down, screaming, as the room erupted with cheers.

They found Chuck trying to hit on Becky at a table near the bar. Becky, however, was more distracted by Sam, as she kept making hither looks at him.

"Excuse us," Dean said to Becky, who was still eyeing Sam. "In case you haven't noticed, our plates are kind of full, okay?" he said to Chuck. "Finding the Colt, hunting the devil. We don't have time for this crap."

"Hey, I didn't call you," Chuck replied.

"He means the books, Chuck," Sam said. "Why are you publishing more books?"

"Um, for food and shelter?" Chuck said.

"Who gave you the rights to our life story?" Dean asked, leaning over Chuck's chair.

"An archangel," Chuck snapped back. "And I didn't want it!"

"Well, deal's off," Sam said. "No more books. Our lives are not for…public consumption." He paused, looking over at Becky, who was still looking at him hungrily.

"Becky, would you excuse us for just a second?" the author asked her.

"Uh-huh!" she said, nodding quickly. Dean and Sam followed Chuck into hallway while Kat waited near the table.

"Do you think Sam likes me?" Becky asked out of the blue.

"Huh?" Kat said, caught off guard.

"Do you think Sam likes me?"

"Um,,,I don't know," Kat replied, still unsure of why she was asking.

"Oh, I really hope so," Becky sighed, looking wistfully at the younger brother. "Ever since Carver came to me trying to get ahold of Sam…I just…I can't get him out of my head. Does he talk about me at all?"

"Kind of hard to since, you know, monsters," Kat replied, choosing to be gentle about it.

"That's true. I guess he does need to keep his mind on his work," Becky said, thoughtfully. "What about you and Dean? He doesn't get jealous, does he?" Before Kat could answer that question, there was a scream. Kat, Dean, and Sam all went running toward it.

Upstairs, a maid was crouched in the corner of the hallway. Sam ran over and helped her up.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I think so," she replied.

"What happened?" Dean asked.

"I saw a ghost," she said, sounding scared. Kat became painfully aware of a gathering crowd. The skinny man from downstairs stepped forward.

"A ghost? Could you tell us what it looked like?" he asked, his voice suddenly deep and gravelly. Kat swore he was trying to do an imitation of Sam…and it wasn't good.

"Why don't you leave it to the grownups, pal," Dean snapped.

"A woman," the main continued. "She was in an old-fashioned dress. Really old. Like a school marm, or something?"

"Did she say anything to you?" another man from the crowd asked. Suddenly, the maid grinned.

"Ok," she said. "Gather close everybody," she called the crowd. "For a terrifying tale of terror. I saw a ghost!" The three real hunters walked away, Sam shaking his head. Behind them, the maid was telling the story of Leticia Gore and how she saw her ghost.

"Ooo, the LARPing's started," Becky said when they saw her.

"The…what is that again?" Dean asked.

"Live action role playing," Kat said.

"It's a game. The convention puts it on," Becky added. She handed Sam a piece of paper, which he opened and read aloud.

"Dad's journal. Dear Sam and Dean, this hotel is haunted. You must hunt down the ghost. Interview witnesses, discover clues, and find the bones. First team to do so wins a $50 gift card to Sizzler. Love, Dad."

"You guys are sooooo gonna win," Becky gushed. Instead, they felt as though they were going to puke.

As the Sam and Dean cosplayers donned fake fake badges and fed suits, interviewing the "manager", who was the convention organizer, the real Sam and Dean, along with Kat, watched from the background.

"Well that's just about all the community theatre I can take," Dean said.

"Yeah, this cannot get any weirder," Sam agreed. The duo from earlier started walking past them.

"Dad said…he said I might have to kill you," the larger one dressed as Dean said, doing a poor imitation of the real article.

"Kill me?" the skinnier one asked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know," was the response, sounding like a cross between Dean and William Shatner. They walked on.

"I need a drink," the three Winchesters said in unison. As Sam and Dean turned for the bar, Kat was still looking to the pair that had just passed them.

"Kat, you want anything?" Dean asked her.

"Beer," Kat said, absently. "I'll be right back." She went after the two cosplayers as Dean just looked at her, a little bemused.

The two were going over strategy when she caught up with them.

"Having fun?" she asked as she walked up to them. They both looked up at her, startled, and then suddenly awkward. The one playing Dean cleared his throat and tried to grin, sexily.

"More fun now that you're around," he said in the fake, gravelly voice.

"Nice try, dude," Kat laughed. "Mind if I join you?" The one playing Dean looked a little sheepish, and his companion motioned to the seat opposite of them.

"I'm Barnes," the skinner of the two said, smiling kindly. "This is Demian." Kat looked between the two, a certain signal going off in her head. Grinning slightly, she took a seat and looked at them both.

"I'm Marie. Nice to meet you," she replied.

"So, you a fan of the books?" Barnes asked.

"I feel like I'm living it sometimes," Kat said.

"Yeah, he really brings you in to the story, doesn't he?" Demian said, looking over at Chuck. Kat looked over at Chuck as well, and smiled wryly.

"Yeah, I guess he does. How did you two get in to it?"

"Picked it up at a little bookstore one day," Barnes said.

"Same here. We actually met in a Supernatural chat room," Demian said. Kat cocked an eyebrow, the grin returning.

"So, you two are…?" she asked, looking between the two. They looked at each other and smiled, and Kat nodded her understanding.

"What about you? How did you get into the books?" Barnes asked her. Kat looked over at Dean, who caught her eye and held up her beer.

"It sort of just fell into my life one day," Kat said absently, staring at her husband. Barnes and Demian looked over at Dean, and then back at Kat.

"Like he did?" Demian asked. Kat nodded, still looking at Dean. Said Winchester walked over to her, handed her her beer, and kissed her on her head.

"Riveting conversation?" Dean asked.

"Very much so? You two okay?" Kat asked.

"Not really," Dean said. "Hard to wrap our heads around."

"Well, get back over there. I'll join you in a sec," Kat said. Dean nodded, kissed her again, and walked back to his brother.

"He okay?" Demian asked.

"Yeah, he's fine. This whole experience is…a little overwhelming. He's never been to a convention before, and getting to meet Carver Edlund…it's a lot," Kat explained. The pair nodded their understanding.

"So, they dressed up. Who're you supposed to be?" Barnes asked. Kat looked down at her outfit, and only one name came to mind.

"Jo," she said. "I'm dressed like Jo. I know I'm not blonde, but I really liked her character."

"Hey, I think you look great," Demian said. "You're, like, the edgier side of Jo, who she was as a hunter." Kat nodded, taking what he said to heart.

"Hey, thanks. That means a lot," she said. "Well, I'd better get back over there. Can't leave them alone for too long. It was really nice meeting you. Good luck in the hunt."

"Thanks, same to you," Barnes said. Kat got up and rejoined her husband and brother-in-law. As she did, everyone heard a loud shouting.

"For the last time, I'm not making this up, ok? She's upstairs, a real live dead ghost!" a young man dressed as Sam was shouting.

"I'm sure it was just one of the ghost actors," his friend, dressed as Dean, was assuring him.

"Who beat the hell out of me and then vanished?" the scared one fired back.

"You saw something?" Sam asked, approaching them.

"This isn't part of the game, jerk," the scared boy said. He then turned back to his friend. "Look, I'm getting out of here, and you should do the same." He turned on his heel and walked away.

"Alex, wait! Hey, come back!" his friend shouted, chasing after him. The Winchesters looked at each other.

"What do you think?" Sam asked.

"I don't think that guy's a good enough actor to be acting," Dean commented. Sam and Kat both nodded.

While Dean and Sam went to talk to the real manager of the hotel, Kat went to find Chuck, who was still trying to hit on Becky.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second…alone?" she asked when she found him.

"Uh…sure," Chuck replied, looking nervous. "Excuse us for a moment," he said to Becky, and the two walked over to a quiet corner.

"I wanted to ask if you've seen anything about Sara," Kat asked when they were alone.

"I thought you said you got her out," Chuck said.

"I did, but she's gone quiet. She won't even pop out to say hello. She's worried that the minute she shows herself, either Heaven or Lucifer will find her," Kat explained. Chuck sadly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, not a thing," Chuck replied.

"Who is zis Sara?" a German accented voice said from behind Kat. She turned around and saw the hook-handed hater standing nearby.

"A friend," Kat replied. "This is a private conversation if you don't mind."

"But you said Heaven or Lucifer, ja?" he continued, inserting himself into the conversation. Kat sighed, and grabbed him by the lapel, pulling him close so that only he could hear her.

"If you don't back off, I will shove my hand so far up your ass I will be able to count your brain cells," she whispered in flawless German. She locked eyes with him, and when she saw that he understood, she let go. He backed away slowly, muttering something under his breath.

"Thanks," Chuck said. "That guy was getting on my nerves."

"No problem," Kat replied, watching the guy go. "Anyway, let me know if you hear anything, yeah?"

"You'll be the first to know," Chuck promised. Kat thanked him and went back to Sam and Dean, who had just finished talking to the hotel manager.

"What did he say?" she asked as she reached them.

"So, Leticia Gore is a real person, and this place used to be an orphanage that she ran back in the early 1900s," Sam explained. "Tonight is the night that she killed four boys, and then herself."

"Oh, perfect. So, where did it go down?" Kat asked, rolling her eyes and sighing.

"The attic," Dean said.

"Naturally."

Up in the attic, the hunters were looking around with flashlights. Sam had their EMF out, and it was making an awful lot of noise.

"EMF's going nuts," he said, looking at it.

"Great," Dean grumbled. "We got a real ghost, and we got a bunch of dudes pretending to be us poking at it."

"No way this ends well," Sam commented, looking around.

"Yeah, well, serves them right," Dean stated.

"Dean," Kat and Sam said simultaneously, both looking at him.

"I'm just saying," Dean said. Kat and Sam shook their heads and continued their search. As they were looking, Kat felt a sudden chill behind her.

"My mommy loves me," said a small child's voice from behind her. The three faced a back corner, and saw a little boy sitting there, covering his head. "I said my mommy loves me."

"I'm sure she does," Sam said, approaching him.

"My mommy loves me this much!" He moved his hands to show them, and revealed a part of his head that was partially scalped. Then, he vanished. The hunters were silent as they stared at the now-empty space.

Back downstairs, Sam made a quick phone call to do some research. When he was done, he approached Dean and Kat, who were waiting patiently at a nearby table.

"All right, so that was a guy with the County Historical Society. Not only did Leticia Gore butcher four boys, but one of them was her own son."

"Her son," Dean repeated.

"Yeah. According to the police at the time, she scalped the kid," Sam continued.

"Oh, that's it," Dean said. "I'm gonna deep fry this bitch extra crispy. Dude say where she was buried?"

"He doesn't know," Sam replied.

Dean was about to say something, when Demian and Barnes caught their attention. They were looking over an old map, and said something about a cemetery. The three headed over to their table, and Sam reached out to touch the map.

"Hey, hey!" Barnes said.

"Do ya mind?" Demian added, pulling the map away from him.

"It's real," Sam said, ignoring the two. "A century old, at least, and he's right, there is a cemetery on the grounds."

"Where'd you get that?" Dean asked Demian.

"It's called a game, pal. It ain't called charity," Demian spat back.

"Hey guys," Kat said, coming out from behind Dean.

"Oh hey," Barnes said. "Think you can call your worse half and his jerk friend off?" Kat wanted to be nice to them, but Dean wasn't having it.

"Yeah, gimme the map, chuckles," Dean said, trying to snatch the map away. Demian got up and started his Dean act.

"Yeah, well you're the chuckles, chuckles. Besides, Dean don't listen to nobody," he said, drawing back his jacket and revealing a plastic gun. Dean rolled his eyes. Barnes stood up, putting a hand on Demian's shoulder and putting on his Sam voice.

"Dean, cool it!" he said. At the same time, the real Dean started to pull out his real gun.

"Dean!" Kat exclaimed, putting a hand on his shoulder in a similar manner.

"What? They're freakin' annoying!" Dean protested, but put his gun away nonetheless.

"Look, guys," Sam said, stepping in to play the peacemaker as always. "We wanna find the bones, right? We just thought…it would go faster if we all worked together." Demian and Barnes looked at each other for a second, and then looked back at the trio.

"We…ah…we get the sizzler gift card," Barnes said.

"Fine," Dean said, rolling his eyes.

"And we get to be Sam and Dean," Demian added. Sam and Dean looked at each other. Kat could feel Dean's muscles tense up with a desire to punch both of them. A gentle squeeze to his forearm reminded him of where they were.

"Fine," he said again, his voice on edge this time.

Demian and Barnes were leading them down a path, with Dean and Sam trailing behind. Kat was walking with Demian, though slightly behind him. He had tried to be Dean with her, but a quick Jo-like speech put him off, especially when she mentioned Ellen and doing something unspeakable to the family jewels. Dean couldn't help but think that both ladies would be very proud of her.

"Hey Rufus, Bobby, would you hurry it up?" Demian called back to them. Bobby was decent praise, but Rufus? From what she had been told about him, Rufus was almost never happy, but was a very devout Jew. He never did too much work on the Sabbath, or any holy day, and watched his diet closely. He also was very direct in how he spoke, much like Bobby. That's probably why they got along so well. Kat heard Dean mutter something grumpily, and had to fight a smile.

"So, where are we?" Barnes asked Demian.

"Ah, Dr. Ellicot had just zapped your brain. 1.10 Asylum," Demian replied. This had been before Kat had come along, but she had been told about it, and it wasn't pretty.

"Why are we even here, Dean?" Barnes said, going into character. "You just following dad's footsteps like a good little soldier? You that desperate for approval?"

"This isn't you talking, Sam," Demian replied, stepping into character as well. Kat could feel Dean glaring at them, and she was even aware of Sam's disapproval, which was rare.

"See, that's the difference between you and me," Barnes continued. "I got a mind of my own. I'm not pathetic."

"So, what are ya gonna do, Sam? Are you gonna kill me?" Demian asked.

"Man, I am so sick of you telling me what to do."

"All right, you know what? That's it. That is it!" the real Dean exclaimed. Demian and Barnes turned around, a little annoyed.

"What's wrong, Bobby?" Demian asked. Dean, however, wasn't having it. He actually sputtered for a second, he was so angry.

"I'm not Bobby, okay?" he all but spat. "You're not Sam. You're not Dean. What is wrong with you? Why the hell would you choose to be these guys?"

"Because we're fans, like you," Barnes said, dropping character.

"No," Dean said. "I am not a fan, ok. Not fans. In fact, I think that the Dean and Sam story sucks. It is not fun. It is not entertaining. It is a river of crap that would send most people howling to the nut house. So, you listen to me: their pain is not for your amusement. I mean, do you think they enjoy being treated like…like circus freaks?!" Kat put a hand on his arm again, trying to calm him down.

"Uh…I don't think they care, because they're fictional characters!" Demian said.

"Oh, they care. Believe me," Dean insisted. "They care a lot." He stormed off down the path, leaving the rest of them both dumbstruck and a little worried. Demian and Barnes looked at Sam and Kat.

"He…uh…he takes the story really seriously," Sam said.

When they reached the cemetery, everyone pulled out flashlights and started looking at tombstones. After a few moments, Dean called out.

"I found the four boys," he said.

"And here's Leticia Gore," Sam added, looking at another tombstone. Then, their attention was drawn to Demian and Barnes, who were a few feet away, looking around other tombstones.

"Ah…what're you guys doing?" Dean asked them.

"We're looking for bones, genius. They gotta be around here somewhere," Demian said, stepping back into character.

"Ok," Dean said. "Generally, bones are in the ground." Sam dropped the bag he was carrying and leaned down to it.

"Yeah, I know," Demian said, still in character. "I just…" he paused when Sam handed Kat a shovel, who passed it to Dean. Sam then pulled out salt and handed that to Kat. "Wait, hold on," Demian said, dropping character quick. "Are you guys serious?"

"Deadly," Dean confirmed.

"We're not really digging up graves, you guys, we're just playing a game," Barnes said, not sounding so sure himself.

"Trust us," Kat said. "You wanna win this game, right?" Dean dug up the grave quick, his body working with years of experience. With a thud of metal on wood, Dean found the coffin. A grunt of effort, and some creaking, and he pried the lid off, revealing Leticia Gore's skeleton. Demian gagged.

"That's not a plastic skeleton," he said. "That's a…that's a skeleton skeleton."

"You just dug up a real grave," Barnes said, sounding horrified.

"Yeah," Dean said from the grave, looking at the skeleton.

"You guys are nuts!" Demian cried.

"I thought you guys wanted to be hunters," Sam said, the tone of his voice indicating that he took no small amount of joy in this.

"Hunters aren't real, man!" Demian said, freaking out. "This isn't real!" The two cosplayers turned to walk away.

"My God. You guys have serious lost your grip on this…" Barnes said. He turned around to look at Sam, and froze.

"What?" No sooner did Sam question him, than a shrill female voice rang through the graveyard.

"Naughty naughty naughty!" It was Leticia Gore's spirit. Gore backhanded Sam across the graveyard. Demian and Barnes let out a scream and tried to run. Dean leaped out of the grave as Kat began to sprinkle salt into the casket. As they worked, she heard the two start screaming. She looked over and saw Gore begin to plunge her hands into their chests. Dean quickly added kerosene into the coffin, lit his lighter on the sleeve on his jacket, and dropped it in. With a shriek, Gore disappeared in flames. Sam got up as Kat walked over to Demian and Barnes.

"Real enough for you?" she asked. The two just looked at her, horrified.

They found Demian and Barnes at the bar later, each doing a shot.

"That was really…" Barnes said, unable to find words.

"Awful, right?" Dean offered. They turned to see Sam, Dean, and Kat standing behind them. When they didn't answer, Dean nodded. "Exactly," he said. He then put some money on the bar between them. "Round's on us, guys."

"See you around," Sam said, following his brother.

"Take care, you two," Kat said, patting them both on the back.

"Hey, how'd you know how to do all that?" Demian asked as they walked away. The Winchesters looked at each other for a second, unsure of how to answer.

"We…uh…we read the books," Sam said. Dean and Kat nodded, and they went to find Chuck, who was talking with the convention manager.

"Hey Chuck. Good luck with the Supernatural books, and screw you very much," Dean said. Without another word, they turned and walked away. However, when they tried to open the doors, they found them sealed shut. "That's weird," Dean said.

"Definitely," Sam replied.

They went around and tried every door and window to the outside. Nothing. Meeting up in the main room, they all looked worried.

"Anything?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Sam replied.

"Same here," Kat confirmed. "Every exit's locked, almost like…"

"Something's keeping us in," Dean said, finishing his wife's thought.

"Yeah," Sam said. "This is bad."

"Gee, ya think, Sammy?" Dean growled. Sam was about to reply, when they heard a woman scream. They all ran off in the direction it came from. The actress who was playing Leticia ran out of a room, and right into Dean's arms.

"Don't go in there!" she cried.

"Get downstairs, okay? Go!" Dean ordered. She ran off without another word. The three of them walked into the library, and found the spirit of Gore's son crouched in the corner, holding his head.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked. "Why did you send my mommy away?"

"Ah, maybe because of the high and tight she gave you, huh? How 'bout some thanks?" Dean said. Kat and Sam both glared at him. "Well, I'm just saying a little gratitude might be nice once in a while."

"My mommy didn't do this to me," the little boy said. That caught their attention.

"What? Then who did?" Sam asked. The boy vanished without another word.

"Crap," Kat said, starting to piece together everything. They began to search for the little boy again. As they were going up the stairs, they heard someone screaming in German. When they reached a hallway, they found the hook man dead, scalped like the little boy. "Crap," Kat said again. "Sam, get down to the main room and tell Chuck to keep everyone in that room for as long as he can. Dean, we need to get the hotel staff in there, too. Let's go!" The three of them raced off to carry out the steps. Sam went on stage and whispered something to Chuck while Dean and Kat got everyone else inside and salted the door.

"Okay, new theory," Dean said to Sam and Kat. "The legends about Leticia are ass-backwards, obviously."

"Yeah. So, all right, let's say those three orphans were playing cowboys and Indians," Sam began.

"LARPing as cowboys and Indians," Dean put in. Kat rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," she said. "And let's say they scalped Leticia's son and killed him."

"Mom catches them in the act, flips out, slices them and dices herself," Dean continued.

"If that's true, it means we've got three bloodthirsty brats in the building," Sam said.

"Yeah, and Leticia was the only one keeping them under control," Dean said.

"Smooth move on our part," Kat commented.

"Yeah, well, we've gotta get back to the cemetery, torch the kids' bones," Dean said.

"How?" Sam asked. "We're trapped, we don't even have our guns! The ghosts are running this joing and they're only scared of one thing." Dean's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Exactly."

They got ahold of the actress dressed as Leticia, and pulled her aside.

"You want me to do what?" she asked.

"You're an actress," Dean said. "We just want you to act."

"I work at Hooters, in Toledo. No, you can forget it," she said.

"You'll be safe, we promise," Sam assured her. "This is really important." Just then, a hand dropped on Dean's shoulder. They all turned to see Demian and Barnes standing there.

"We wanna help," Demian said. Kat stepped in.

"Guys, no," she said.

"Why not?" Barnes asked her.

"Cause this isn't make believe," Kat explained.

"Look, we know," Demian said. "We're not nuts. We're freakin' terrified."

"Yeah, but if all these people are in trouble," Barnes added. "We gotta do something."

"Why?" Kat asked.

"Because that's what Sam and Dean would do," Demian replied. Kat was surprised, and looked at Dean, who had come up beside her. She could see that they were very afraid, but they were also dead serious about wanting to help.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do," she said.

Dean went with the actress, while Kat went with Sam, Demian, and Barnes to the main door. They immediately began to push. Suddenly, the door gave a little. Barnes squeezed out, followed by Demian, and Kat with the car keys. As suddenly as they were out, the doors slammed shut behind them. In a panic, Kat went back and banged on them.

"Sam!" she cried. "Sam!"

"Get going! We need to finish this quick!" Sam's muffled voice told her.

"Come on!" Demian called. Kat swallowed her fear and ran to their Impala, grabbing the gravedigging supplies out of the trunk. They hightailed it to the cemetery and started digging up the graves.

"Oh my god," Barnes complained about halfway down. "Supernatural makes digging graves seem so easy. It's not though. I'm gonna throw up."

"No you're not," Demian said. "You okay, Marie?"

"I'm good," Kat replied, climbing out of her grave. The two guys looked at her, surprised. "What? Remember who my husband is? Come on, we've got a deadline." They got all of the bones together, salted them, and poured kerosene on them. Demian then began to fight with the lighter.

"How come Dean can always light the stupid thing on the first freaking try? Come on!" he grumbled. Kat began to feel anxious. She looked up toward the hotel, praying that they were going to be okay.

They're still alive, a calming voice said in Kat's head.

SARA! Kat almost exclaimed out loud. She hadn't heard from her dear friend in months, and was glad to hear her voice.

Focus, Kat! the archangel commanded. Kat gave her head a shake, and helped pile the bones up. She sprinkled salt and kerosene on them faster than she ever had. Demian began to struggle with the lighter.

"How come Dean can always light the stupid thing on the first freaking try?" he lamented, fighting with it. Kat looked up at the hotel nervously. Finally, she heard the familiar whoosh of flames. She breathed a sigh of relief as the bones burned. They had done it.

Paramedics were removing the German man's body. Some people were talking to the police, giving statements about what happened. Dean and Kat were talking with Demian and Barnes, who finally introduced themselves to Dean. He had tried to tell them that he was the real Dean, but – thankfully – they didn't believe him. As they started to walk away, Demian had one more piece of advice for them.

"You're wrong, you know," he called.

"Sorry?" Dean asked, turning back to them.

"About Supernatural," Demian explained. "No offense, but I'm not sure you get what the story's about."

"Is that so?" Dean said, smirking.

"All right, in real life, he sells stereo equipment, I fix copiers," Demian said. "But to be Sam and Dean…to wake up every morning and save the world…to have a brother who would die for you…well, who wouldn't want that?" Kat looked at Dean and shrugged, a smile on her face.

"Maybe you're right," Dean acquiesced, as if thinking about it for the first time. "You know, you two don't make a bad team yourselves. How do you two know each other?"

"Oh, well," Barnes said, blushing a bit. "We met online. Supernatural chat room." The way he said it, and the blush on both of their faces confirmed what Kat had been thinking.

"Oh, well it must be nice to get out of your parent's basement. Make some friends…ow!" Dean said, wincing when Kat stepped on his foot.

"We're more than friends," Demian said. He and Barnes laced their fingers together. "We're partners." Kat relished in the look of shocked realization that came over Dean's face. They really needed to work on his radar.

"Oh…wow…Howdy, partners," Dean said.

"Howdy," Barnes replied. Kat then walked forward and hugged them both.

"Take care of each other," she said.

"Yeah, you too," Demian said, returning the hug. Barnes did the same, and then handed her a slip of paper.

"What's this?"

"Our usernames on the chatroom we use," Barnes said. "You know, if you ever needed someone to talk shop with."

"Aww, thanks guys. I'll keep this in mind," Kat said. She pulled out her wallet – a larger one shaped like the TARDIS from Doctor Who, which made Demian give an approving 'hey' – and slipped it inside behind her license. She then waved at the both of them and followed Dean back to Baby. Dean stood there, leaning on the roof, and thinking.

"You okay?" Kat asked.

"I guess so," Dean said, still lost in thought. Sam then came running over.

"You ok?" he asked his brother.

"Yeah, you know? I think I'm good," Dean replied.

"Well, you're not going to believe it but I got a lead on the Colt," Sam said, seeming more excited than usual.

"What?" Kat said.

"Long story. Tell you on the way?"

"What are we waiting for?" Dean said. They all piled in and sped away.


	20. When Hope Abandons You

I do not own Supernatural. I own Kat and Sarakiel. Action and dialogue from Season 5, Episode 10: Abandon All Hope.

According to Sam, Bela, the thief who had stolen the Colt in the first place, hadn't given it to Lilith like she said. Instead, from what Becky had told Sam, Bela had given to a demon named Crowley. A quick consult with Sara identified him as a Crossroads demon, one that would make deals for people's souls. A demon like him would give a human something that they wanted, make a contract with them, and in a certain amount of time – normally 10 years – the demon would send a hellhound to collect the soul.

One such deal was what Castiel was watching, presently. He had tracked Crowley down, and was watching him make a deal with an old banker. Sam, Dean, and Kat were next to a lake. Dean was on the phone with Cas.

"The demon Crowley is making a deal," Cas reported. "Even as we speak, its….going…down."

"Going down?" Dean repeated. "Right, okay, Huggy Bear, just don't lose him."

"I won't lose him," Cas replied. The Winchesters waited anxiously as a long silence came from the other end of the line. A few minutes later, Cas was back on the phone. "I followed him. It's not far, but it's layered in Enochian warding magic. I can't get in," he reported.

"That's okay, you did great," Dean said. "We'll take it from here." Sam and Kat took the cue to get in the car, and they drove off to where Cas was.

They arrived at a mansion later that evening. Having enlisted some help from Jo Harvelle, they were able to get inside. Kat offered to help power down the wards, but Cas insisted that doing that would only attract attention. So, the Winchesters went in alone. Jo cut the power and they got inside. In the hallway stood a man in his mid to late 30s, wearing a designer suit.

"It's Crowley, right?" Sam asked.

"So…that Hardy Boys finally found me, and you even brought Laura with you. Took you long enough," Crowley quipped, his voice a rough baritone laced with a British accent. As he studied the armed hunters, his eyes fell to the rug in front of him. He picked up a corner and saw the Devil's Trap that Dean had drawn on the bottom of it. He eyed it distastefully. "Do you have any idea how much this rug cost?" he asked. Suddenly, all three hunters were grabbed from behind, their arms pinned to their sides by demons. Crowley then produced the Colt that they had all been looking for. "This is it, right? This is what it's all about," he said. Slowly, he aimed the gun at Dean…

And shot the demons holding them.

As the three of them looked at the Crossroads king, he put the gun down. "We need to talk, privately." He lead them into another room.

"What the hell is this?" Dean asked. Crowley waved his hand, shutting the door behind them.

"There's no reason you or anyone should know this even exists, except that I told you," he said.

"You told us," Sam repeated.

"Rumors, innuendo, sent out on the grapevine," Crowley replied.

"Why?" Kat asked. "Why tell us anything?" Crowley responded by first aiming the gun at the young witch.

"I want you to take this thing to Lucifer and empty it into his face," he said. Now, they were confused.

"Uh-huh," Dean said. "Okay, and why exactly would you want the devil dead?"

"It's called survival," Crowley replied, putting the gun on his desk. "Well, I forgot you two at best are functioning morons, and that wifey here is the only one with a consistent brain in her skull."

"You're functioning….morons," Dean said, lamely.

"Lucifer isn't a demon," Crowley continued. "He's an angel; an angel famous for his hatred of humankind. To him, you're just filthy bags of pus. If that's the way he feels about you, what can he think about us?"

"But he created you," Sam pointed out.

"To him, we're just servants," Crowley explained. "Cannon fodder. If Lucifer manages to exterminate humankind, we're next. So, help me, huh? Let's all go back to the simpler, better times, back to where we could all follow our natures. I'm in sales, damnit!" He looked from Dean, to Sam, to Kat, and back to Dean. "So, what do you say if I give you this thing, and you go kill the devil?" He held the gun out the three hunters, handle first. Sam and Dean looked at each other as Crowley wiggled the gun in a tantalizing way. Kat reached out and took the gun from the demon.

"Great," she said.

"You wouldn't happen to know where the devil is, by chance, would you?" Sam asked Crowley.

"Thursday, birdies tell me, there's an appointment in Carthage, Missouri," Crowley replied.

"Great," Sam said, looking at Kat. Kat nodded, pointed the gun in Crowley's face, and pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened. The gun was empty.

"Oh, yeah, right, you'll probably need some more ammunition," Crowley said, going to his desk.

"Oh, uh, excuse me for asking," Dean interjected. "But, aren't you kind of signing your own death warrant? I mean, what happens to you if we go up against the devil and lose?"

"Number one, he's going to wipe us all out anyway. Two, after you leave here, I go on an extended vacation to all-points nowhere. And three, how about you don't miss, okay?! MORONS!" Crowley shouted. He threw something at Dean and vanished. The case held more bullets for the Colt.

Back in Sioux Falls, at Bobby's house, the Winchesters were gathered with Bobby, Cas, and the Harvelles. Ellen was having a drinking contest with Cas, which Kat and Jo both knew she would lose. Said girls were observing the match while drinking beers. Sam and Dean were talking quietly about what was going to happen in Carthage.

"So, I gotta ask," Jo said. "What did you see in Dean?" Kat took a swig of her beer, looking at her husband.

"It was really Sara who got me close to him," she said.

"The angel, right?" Jo asked.

"Yeah," Kat replied. "I ran into them through her, after we first found Alistair. I was several states away from home, so it only made sense that I would stick with them, especially since they still needed Sara's help."

"So, you and Dean just got close?"

"Yep. I really don't know how to explain it, but that's more or less what happened," Kat said, taking another swig. Dean and Sam had noticed the drinking game going on between Ellen and Cas.

"Boy, talk about stupid ideas," Sam said.

"Good god. True that," Dean agreed. He then got up and walked over to Jo and Kat.

"So, dangerous mission tomorrow," he said. "Guess it's time to eat, drink, and, you know, make merry."

"Is he always like this with you?" Jo asked.

"Always," Kat confirmed. "Make merry, huh? I think I could have some fun with that, Mr. Winchester."

"I would be more than happy to oblige, Mrs. Winchester," Dean said, suavely.

"Everybody get in here! It's time for the lineup!" Bobby called. "Usual suspects in the corner." Sam walked in to his study, followed by Ellen.

"Oh come on, Bobby," she said. "Nobody wants their picture taken."

"Hear, hear," Sam agreed.

"Shut up," Bobby replied. "You're drinking my beer." Cas walked in, followed by Kat, Dean, and Jo. Bobby finished setting up a camera on a tripod before wheeling his wheelchair backwards. "Anyway, I'm gonna need something to remember your sorry asses by." Everyone arranged themselves in front of the camera, and smiled.

"Ha!" Ellen laughed. "Always good to have an optimist around."

"Bobby's right," Cas said. "Tomorrow, we hunt the devil. This is our last night on Earth." As if on cue, everyone's smile vanished just as the camera flashed. That night, Kat cast her spell on her and Dean's room, and the Winchesters made love far into the night.

Two cars pulled down the main drag of Carthage, Missouri. Sam and Dean were trying to get a cell phone signal while Kat was checking her gun in the backseat.

"You getting a signal?" Sam asked his brother.

"No, nothing," Dean replied. "Nice and spooky." He waved the car behind them up next to them. Ellen was driving, Jo rode shotgun, and Cas was in the backseat.

"Place seem a little empty to you?" Ellen asked.

"We're gonna go check out the PD. You guys stay here, see if you can find anybody. Kat, you too," Dean said. Kat nodded, gave Dean a peck on the cheek, and got out of the car. Dean and Sam drove off as Ellen parked the car. She and Jo got out, and Jo knocked on the back window.

"Ever heard of a door handle?" she jokingly called to Castiel, and was surprised when he appeared in front of her.

"Of course, I have," he replied, but he seemed distracted. He was looking around on the empty street.

"What is it, Cas?" Ellen asked him. Cas didn't answer right away.

"Kat, I need Sarakiel," he said.

"Cas, are you sure it's safe?" Kat asked.

"With the warding I carved in your rib cage, there is a good chance that she won't be found," Cas said. Kat looked at Jo and Ellen, who shrugged, then closed her eyes and called to her friend. When her eyes opened, they flashed blue for a brief moment.

Sara opened her eyes for the first time in a while. She looked around, and grinned at Jo and Ellen.

"Hello," she said.

"You must be the angel we've heard about," Jo said.

"And you must be Ellen and Jo Harvelle. Nice to meet you both," Sara replied. She then looked at Cas and smiled. "Hi, Cas," she said.

"Hello, Sara," Cas greeted. The two of them stared for a moment before Ellen scoffed.

"Oh for crying out…would one of you kiss the other one already so we can move on?" Without thinking, Sara gave Cas a warm kiss, pulling him to her by the lapel of his blazer. When she pulled away, however, she noticed what Cas had seen, and her expression became serious. "So, what are you two seeing?" Ellen asked again.

"This town's not empty," Cas replied. Sara and Cas could both see the streets filled with old white men in suits, all fixed on something in the distance.

"Reapers," Sara replied.

"ReapERS?" Ellen asked. "As in more than one?"

"They only gather like this at times of great catastrophe," Cas explained. "Chicago fire, San Francisco Quake Pompeii."

"We need to find out why they're here," Sara said. Without another word, the two angels walked off between the reapers. As they walked through the crowd, they both noticed a reaper move away from a window. Both angels looked at each other, and then ported up to the building. They explored a few corridors, before entering a room.

"Hello, siblings," a voice said.

Cas and Sara found themselves each in rings of holy fire.

"Where are we?" Sara asked. Cas didn't answer. He was focused on the only other person in the room.

"Lucifer," he said. Sara whipped her head to where Cas was facing, and sure enough, there was her brother.

"So, I take it you two are here with the Winchesters," Lucifer said. "This one I would believe, but you, Sara? Siding with the hunters?"

"We came alone," Cas said, answering for the both of them.

"Loyalty," Lucifer said, still looking pointedly at Sara. "Such a nice quality to see in this day and age." He then turned his focus to Cas. "Castiel, right? Castiel, I'm told you came here in an automobile."

"Yes."

"What was that like?" he asked.

"Um…slow. Confining," Cas replied.

"What a peculiar thing you are," Lucifer commented. He moved into the light, and neither Sara nor Cas were expecting what they saw. Lucifer's vessel looked like it was falling apart. His face appeared to be covered in burns.

"What's wrong with your vessel?" Sara asked.

Yes, um, Nick is wearing a bit thin, I'm afraid," Lucifer said, not happy to admit it. "He can't contain me forever, so…" Castiel moved to the edge of the circle of fire, in an attempt to get in Lucifer's face.

"You are not taking Sam Winchester," he said. "We won't let you." Lucifer laughed.

"Castiel, I don't understand why you're fighting me. For that matter, I can't understand why, of all the angels, either of you are," he said.

"You really have to ask?" Sara said.

"I rebelled," Lucifer began. "I was cast out. The two of you rebelled, you were cast out. Almost all of heaven wants to see me dead, and if they succeed, guess what? You're their new public enemy numbers one and two. We're all on the same side, like it or not, so why just serve your own best interests? Which in this case happen to be mine?" Lucifer looked between the two of them.

"We'll die first," Cas said.

"Now just a second, Castiel," Lucifer said. "You've been doing a lot of speaking for my sister. I would like to hear from her." Cas and Lucifer both faced Sara, who looked back at her lover, and her brother.

"I'm not going to let you end the world, Lucifer," she finally said.

"Worried for your little human friends?" Lucifer said. "Worried for your precious little vessel?"

"I'm worried for everyone, Lucifer," Sara replied. "My friends aren't the only ones who would be affected by this. There would be no heaven or hell if the earth was destroyed. There would be nowhere for any of us to go."

"Who said I was going to destroy this beautiful creation?" Lucifer asked. "I'm trying to save it."

"Lucifer, I want to believe that Dad was wrong about you, I really do. But killing humans? They're His creation, too," Sara said. Lucifer walked over to her circle and looked at his sister.

"You've spent far too much time with humans, little sister," he said. "I think we can change that." He snapped his fingers, and a demon came in and broke the circle. Before Sara could make any kind of move, Lucifer immobilized her and started making a pulling motion. Castiel watched with horror as Sara began screaming. Slowly and surely, Lucifer pulled a glowing mass out of Sara's body, and sent it the demon who broke the circle. He then pushed Sara back in and the holy fire roared back to life. Cas moved to another edge as Sara collapsed. She was gasping for breath as she glared back up at her brother.

"You bastard," she snarled. "Give her back!"

"I will when you come to your senses," Lucifer replied, sending the demon away. As that demon left, Meg walked in.

"I got the Winchesters pinned down. For now, at least," she said. "What should I do with them?"

"Leave them alone," Lucifer said.

"I…I'm sorry, but are you sure?" Meg asked. "Shouldn't we…?"

"Trust me child," Lucifer said, stroking Meg's face. "Everything happens for a reason." Meg smiled. Cas started looking around while Sara was still gasping on the floor. "Well, you two, you have some time. Time to change your minds?" With that, he left, leaving Meg to watch over them.

"Sara, are you okay?" Cas asked.

"Kat's soul," Sara gasped. "He has Kat's soul." She curled up into a little ball on the ground, muttering to herself.

I need to get us out of here, and fast, Cas thought. He found a pipe in the wall that was held in by bolt screws. Slowly, with small, measured movements, he started using what power he had to unscrew the pipes.

"You seem pleased," Cas said as Meg watched him.

"We're gonna win," she taunted. "Can you feel it? You cloud-hopping pansies lost the whole damn universe. Lucifer's gonna take over heaven. We're going to heaven, Clarence."

"Strange, because I heard a different theory from a demon named Crowley," Cas commented, still unscrewing the bolts in the wall.

"You don't know Crowley," Meg challenged.

"He believes Lucifer is just using the demons to achieve an end," Cas said. "And that, once he does, he'll destroy you all."

"You're wrong," Meg said, taking Cas' bait. "Lucifer is the father of our race. Our creator. Your god may be a deadbeat. Mine – mine walks the earth." As she said that, Cas got the bolt loose and pulled it free of the wall. The crashing sound coupled with Meg's cry as the pipe pushed her into Cas' arms woke Sara from her reverie. She sat up as Cas tried to exorcise Meg. Nothing happened. "You can't gank demons, can you?" Meg taunted. "You're cut off from the home office, and you ain't got the juice. So, what can you do, you impotent sap?"

"I can do this," Cas retorted. He leaned in as if for a kiss, and then pushed Meg over the circles of fire. Cas stepped on her to get out of his circle, helped Sara to her feet, and they both walked out together.

"What am I going to tell Dean?" Sara wondered out loud.

"We're going to tell him the truth," Cas said, supporting her out the door. Once they were outside, they took a moment to just be a couple. Cas held her close, comforting her as best as he could. Sara felt lost for the first time in a long time. Her heart ached because Lucifer had been able to overpower her and steal Kat's soul, and it ached because she was going to have to tell Dean. Dean was going to hate her, she could feel it. "Dean will not hate you," Cas said, reading her mind.

"We don't know that, Cas," Sara said, pushing herself closer to him. Cas responded by wrapping his arms tighter around her, squeezing her tighter. Sara wanted to be comforted. She wanted Cas' hugs to take away her pain more than anything in the world. Right now, though, nothing was going to help her. A part of her was gone, and she couldn't get to hell to get her back…if she was even still alive.


	21. Hunger Hurts Everyone

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains action and dialogue from Season 5, Episode 14: My Bloody Valentine.

Dean had been furious that Kat's soul was now in hell. However, he hadn't been mad with Sara or Cas. He had spent some time away from them, however, which didn't make Sara feel any better. To occupy both of them, Sara had joined in Cas' hunt while Dean continued to work cases with Sam. Every so often, Sam would call and check up on them, as well as update Sara on Dean. One day, a call came in that Sara had both been hoping for, but not expecting.

"Cas, it's Dean," said a voice on the other end of the line.

"Do you need some help?" Cas had asked.

"Yeah, room 31 c, basement level, St. James medical center," Dean said. He barely had finished his sentence when Sara and Cas arrived.

"I'm there now," Cas said, still on the phone.

"Yeah, I get that," Dean replied.

"I'm gonna hang up now," Cas said, still talking into the phone. He and Dean both awkwardly hung up their phones.

"Hi, Sara," Dean said.

"Hi, Dean," she replied. The two were still a little awkward around each other, but they had moved past any type of anger that Dean had a while ago. They quickly turned their attention to the body parts on the table. "What happened?"

"Two double suicides within a day or so of each other," Sam said. "The first couple…uh…ate each other. The other two killed each other after killing the guy's coworker. What we wanted you two here for was this." He held up the heart of one of the victims. Upon closer examination, Sara and Cas both saw a small, very familiar mark. "I think it's Enochian," Sam continued.

"You're right, Sam," Cas confirmed. "These are angelic marks. I imagine you'll find similar marks on the other couples' hearts as well."

"So, what are they?" Sam asked. "I mean, what do they mean."

"It's a mark of union," Sara said. "This man and woman were intended to mate."

"Okay, but who put them there?" Dean asked.

"Well, your people call them 'Cupid'," Cas replied.

"A what?" Sam sounded confused.

"What human myth has mistaken for 'Cupid' is actually a lower order of angel," Sara explained. "Technically, it's a cherub, third class."

"Cherub?" Dean was even more skeptical.

"Yeah, they're all over the world," Cas confirmed. "There are dozens of them."

"You mean the little flying fat kid in diapers?" Dean asked.

"They're not incontinent," Cas said, oblivious as always.

"Okay, anyway," Sam said. "So, what you're saying…"

"What I'm saying is a Cupid has gone rogue and we have to stop him before he kills again," Cas said.

"Naturally," Sam said.

"Of course we do," Dean agreed.

They decided to head out to a restaurant because it was, in fact, Valentines day. According to Sam, Dean used to call it "unattached drifter Christmas". However, he had a whole thing planned for him and Kat tonight, which would have been put on hold because of the job. Sara winced when Sam said something, and felt horrible. Despite Dean's assurance that it was okay, it was still holding something of a sting.

"So, what, you just happen to know he likes the cosmos at this place?" Dean asked Cas as a waitress brought a cheeseburger for him and a salad for Sam.

"This place is a nexus of human reproduction," Cas explained. "It's exactly the kind of….garden the cupid will come to….to pollinate." He was becoming increasingly distracted by the ketchup that Dean was pouring on his burger. Suddenly frustrated, Dean put his burger down.

"Wait a minute," Sam said, confused. "You're not hungry?"

"No," Dean answered. When all three people at the table looked at him, he fired back, "What? I'm not hungry."

"Then you're not gonna finish that?" Cas said suddenly. Without waiting for an answer, he took the plate from Dean and took a bite. Sam and Sara looked at each other. Sara was both confused and worried. Suddenly, Cas looked at a couple across the room. "He's here."

"Where?" Sam asked, looking around. "I don't see anything."

"There," Sara pointed to the couple Cas was looking at.

"You mean the same-side-of-the-booth couple over there?" Dean said.

"Meet us in the back," Sara said, and she and Cas vanished. In the back room of the restaurant, Sara was able to catch the cupid, holding it still. Dean and Sam came running in.

"Where is he?" Dean asked.

"I have him," Sara said, her hand extended into thin air.

"Zoda kama mahrana," Cas intoned. "Manifest yourself." Nothing happened for a few moments.

"So, where is he?" Dean asked again. Suddenly, Dean was grappled into a bear hug from behind.

"Here I am!" the cupid proclaimed.

"Help!" Dean called out.

"Oh, help is on the way, yes it is," the cupid said, going into baby talk. Then, he saw Cas. "Hello, you!" He dropped the unfortunate hunter and made a beeline for the unfortunate angel. Sara shrank back slightly, barely holding laughter back as Cas was bear hugged by the very naked cupid.

"This is cupid?" Dean asked, panting.

"Yes," Cas managed to get out, his voice strained from the massive hug.

"And look at you, huh?" Cupid said as he saw Sam. Sam started backing away, but the cupid, being a celestial being, got the younger Winchester in a huge hug as well. Sara let out a snicker, but fixed her face quickly when the cupid saw her as well.

"SISTER!" he cried, and gave her probably the biggest hug of all.

Karma is a bitch, Sara thought to herself.

"Is this a fight? Are we in a fight?" Dean asked Cas.

"This is…their handshake," Cas replied.

"I don't like it."

"No one likes it." Once he was done, the cupid faced the four of them.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, a warm smile on his face.

"Why are you doing this?" Cas asked.

"Doing what?" Cupid asked, sounding confused.

"Your targets – the ones you've marked…They're slaughtering each other," Sara explained.

"What?" Cupid said, looking genuinely dismayed. "They are?"

"Listen, birthday suit," Dean jumped in. "We know, okay? We know you been flittin' around, popping people with your poison arrow, making them murder each other."

"What we don't know is why?" Cas added. Sara watched the look on the cupid's face change. She had been skeptical from the beginning of a cupid doing something like this, since they were inherently happy creatures. The genuine fear and sadness on this cherub's face confirmed what she had been thinking.

"You think that I…well, uh…I don't know what to say," Cupid said, breaking in to tears. Sam, Dean, and Cas all congregated slightly away from the weeping cherub.

"Should,,,should somebody maybe…go talk to him?" Sam said.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Dean agreed. The then clapped Cas on the shoulder. "Give 'em hell, Cas." Cas gave Dean and Sam a bitchface, but Sara jumped in before he could turn around.

"We didn't mean to hurt your feelings," she said, putting her hand on Cupid's shoulder. Without warning, he turned around and pulled her into another hug.

"Love is more than a word to me, you know," he lamented. "I love love. I love it! And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right!" In a surprise, Sara hugged him back.

"I know you do," she said. "There's still an issue here, though."

"I was just on my appointed rounds. Whatever my targets do after that, that's nothing to do with me. I…I was following my orders," Cupid continued, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Please, sister. Please, brother. Read my mind. Read my mind, you'll see." Sara and Cas both peered into the cherub's mind, and to Sara's complete lack of surprise…

"He's telling the truth," Cas said.

"Jiminy Christmas, thank you," Cupid said, relieved.

"Wait, you said…" Dean said, trying to clear things up. "You said you were just following orders?" Cupid nodded. "Whose orders?"

"Whose?" Cupid laughed, as if Dean should have known. "Heaven, silly. Heaven."

"Why does heaven care if Harry meets Sally?" Dean asked.

"Oh, mostly they don't," Cupid explained. "You know, certain bloodlines, certain destinies…oh, like yours!" He pointed at Sam and Dean.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, the union of John and Mary Winchester? VEEERY big deal upstairs. Top priority arrangement," Cupid said.

"Are you saying that you fixed up our parents?" Dean asked. "Sara, is this true?"

"I never really dealt with that department," Sara replied. "You two were always on my watch list after you were born, though."

"It wasn't easy, either," Cupid continued. "Ooh, they couldn't stand each other at first, but when we were done with them – Perfect couple."

"Perfect?" Dean repeated.

"Yeah!"

"They're dead!" the older brother all but shouted.

"I'm sorry," Cupid said, sounding genuinely so. "But, the orders were clear. You and Sam needed to be born. Your parents were just…meant to be. A match made in heaven!" he began to sing. Dean got fed up and punched Cupid in the face. Cupid looked shocked as Dean rubbed his fist at the surprising strength of the cherub.

"Son of a bitch," Dean grunted. Cupid vanished. Dean looked around. "Where is he? Where'd he go?"

"I believe you upset him," Cas said.

"Upset him?!"

"Dean, enough!" Sam shouted.

"What?"

"You just punched a cupid!"

"I punched a dick!"

"Um, are we gonna talk about what's been up with you lately, or not?" Sam asked.

"Or not!" Dean spat, and stormed off, not even looking at Sara or Cas. Sam looked at the two angels, and followed his brother.

"I know why," Sara said quietly.

"Sara, stop," Cas said.

"He's upset because it's Valentine's Day, and Kat isn't here to celebrate with him. Her soul is stuck with Lucifer, and it's all my fault!" She began to cry again. Cas pulled her close.

"He's upset because he's learning that he isn't escaping his destiny," Cas assured her, speaking quietly. "You know how he hates when he's not in control of himself." Sara was still upset, but the embrace was helping her.

Sam called Sara a little while later. They had been looking for Cas, but he had vanished for some reason. Sam was staking out the medical in the Impala, while Dean was at the motel. He was following up on a hunch that he'd had earlier.

"So, uh, this guy was not marked by Cupid, but his death is definitely suspicious," Sam said. Apparently, the latest victim had died by shoving Twinkies down his throat…with a toiled brush.

"Yeah, well, I just went through the police blotter," Dean said on the other end of the line. "Counting him, that's eight suicides since Wednesday, and 19 ODs. That's way out of the seasonal batting average."

"If there's a pattern here, it ain't just love. It's a hell of a lot bigger than we thought," Sam said, rubbing his temple.

"All right," Dean said. "I'll see you in 10." Sam hung up, and looked toward the medical center. A bald man in a black suit, and carrying a briefcase came out of the building. Sam quickly got out of the car and followed the man. Quickly, Sara saw why. She teleported in front of the man and stopped him long enough for Sam to slam him against the wall and hold Ruby's knife to his throat.

"I know what you are, damn it," Sam snarled. "I could smell you." He cut the demon's cheek with the knife, causing him to cry out.

"Winchester," the demon snarled. "Where's your other pet angel? They had to bring the A-team in?" They broke into a scuffle, during which Sam was able to cut the demon again with the knife. The demon dropped his briefcase and ran off. Sara picked up the case, and saw Sam staring at the blood on the knife, breathing heavily.

"Sam!" she called. Sam looked up at her, startled, then wiped the blood of the knife quickly.

Back at the motel, the three of them were examining the briefcase. There was some warding on it, but it wasn't much.

"What the hell does a demon got to do with this anyway?" Dean wondered.

"Believe me, I got no idea," Sam said, having regaled Dean with what had just happened.

"You okay?" Dean asked his brother.

"Yeah, I'll be alright," Sam replied, though both Dean and Sara weren't sure.

"Let's crack her open," Dean said, turning his attention to the briefcase. "What's the worst that could happen, right?" All three braced themselves as Dean opened the briefcase. The two humans winced at the bright light that flashed out of it and escaped, but Sara couldn't stop staring at it. "What the hell was that?"

"A human soul," Sara said, still watching where it had gone.

"It's starting to make sense," a gravelly voice said from behind her. Cas was standing there with a bag from White Castle, munching on a burger.

"Now, what about that makes sense?" Sam asked him. Sara looked at Cas, confused. Then, a look of realization came across her face, followed by one of horror.

"And when did you start eating?" Dean followed up.

"Exactly," Cas said. "My hunger. It's a clue, actually."

"For what?" Sam and Dean asked together.

"This town is not suffering from some love-gone-wrong effect," Cas said. "It's suffering from hunger. Starvation, to be exact. Specifically…"

"Famine," Sara finished.

"Famine? As in, the horseman?" Sam asked.

"Great…that's freaking great," Dean scoffed.

"I thought famine meant starvation, like as in, you know, food," Sam said.

"It does," Sara replied. "But not just food. Everyone seems to be starving for something; sex, attention, drugs love, you name it."

"Well, that explains the puppy-lovers that Cupid shot up," Dean said.

"Right," Cas confirmed. "The cherub made them crave love, and then Famine came and made them rabid for it."

"Okay, but what about you?" Dean asked. "I mean, since when do angels secretly hunger for White Castle?"

"It's my vessel, Jimmy," Cas said, sounding pained. "His, uh, appetite for red meat has been touched by Famine's effect."

"But what about Sara?" Sam asked, looking at the archangel. "Why isn't she effected?"

"Because Kat isn't there," Dean answered, sounding slightly angry. Sara closed her eyes and sighed, her heart aching. "No human soul, no human effect."

"He's right," Sara said. "The Horsemen don't effect angels. If he didn't affect the demons, or Lucifer, he won't affect me. Because there is still a human soul in Cas' vessel, the effect is stronger."

"So, Famine just rolls into town and everyone goes crazy?" Dean asked, moving the talk along.

"And then will come Famine, riding on a black steed," Cas recited, quoting Revelations. "He will ride into the land of plenty, and great will be the Horseman's hunger, for he is hunger. His hunger will seep out and poison the air."

"Famine is hungry," Sara said. "He must devour the souls of his victims."

"So that's what was in the briefcase? The twinkie dude's soul?" Dean asked.

"Lucifer has sent his demons to care for Famine, to feed him, make certain he'll be ready," Cas said.

"Ready for what?" Sam asked.

"To march across the land," Cas finished. They stood in relative silence for a few minutes. Sam went into the bathroom and wiped his face with a cold washcloth. Sara could feel his hunger growing. But that wasn't what was scaring her. It's what he was hungry for that was scaring her.

"So, the whole town is just gonna eat, drink, and screw itself to death?" Sam said.

"We should stop it," Cas said, still munching on his burgers.

"Yeah, that's a great idea," Dean sneered. "How?"

"How did you stop the last horseman you met?" Sara asked.

"War got his mojo from this ring," Dean said. "And after we cut it off, he just tucked tail and ran, and everybody that was affect, it was like they woke up out of a dream. You think Famine's got a class ring, too?

"I know he does," Sara replied.

"Well, okay. Let's track him down and get to chopping," Dean said.

"Yeah," Cas said, absently. He was looking sadly into his now-empty bag. Sara turned her attention to Sam, who was breathing heavily.

"What are you, the hamburglar?" Dean asked Cas.

"I've developed a taste for ground beef," Cas replied.

"Well, have you tried to stop it?"

"I'm an angel. I can stop any time I want," Cas said, defiantly. Sara winced slightly, but her eyes were focused on a panting Sam.

"Whatever," Dean said. "Sam, let's roll." Sara put a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Dean, that's a bad idea," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"I think it got to me, Dean," Sam said. "I'm hungry for it…"

"Hungry for what?" Dean asked, still confused.

"You know." Then, it hit Dean quick.

"Demon blood?" Sam nodded. "You got to be kidding me." He then looked at the angels in the room. "You gotta get him out of here. You gotta beam him to, like, Montana. Anywhere but here," he pleaded.

"It won't work," Sara said, still trying to keep Sam calm.

"He's already infected. The hunger is just gonna travel with him." Cas added.

"Well, then, what do we do?" Dean asked.

"You go cut that bastard's finger off," Sam said. Sara and Cas both looked at Sam, but Dean was ready to listen to his little brother.

"You heard him," he said.

"But Dean," Sam added. "Before you go, you better…you better lock me down…but good." He was panting, and he looked pale. Dean nodded, and with Sara's help, handcuffed him to the pipe under the sink.

"All right, just hang in there," Dean said. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Be careful," Sam said. "And…hurry." Dean closed the door, and Cas moved a dresser in front of the bathroom door.

"Sara, maybe you should stay with him," Dean said.

"If Famine overcomes me, you'll need her," Cas pointed out.

"You said you could quit whenever you wanted," Dean said.

"But Jimmy can't," Sara said. Dean sighed, and the three of them left the motel.

At the medical center, Dean found out that the medical examiner had been Famine's latest victim. All they had to do was wait until a demon showed up to collect his soul. As they sat in the Impala, the tense silence was broken by Cas unwrapping and eating another burger.

"Are you serious?" Dean said as Cas began to devour it.

"These make me…very happy," the angel said with a grin.

"How many is that?" Dean asked him.

"Lost count," Cas replied, nonchalantly. "It's in the low hundreds." Both Sara and Dean were impressed. "What I don't understand is…where is your hunger, Dean?"

"Huh?"

"He's got a point, Dean," Sara said, leaning up from the back seat. "Slowly but surely, everyone is this town is falling pray to Famine, but so far, you seem unaffected. I understand why I'm not, but you're human."

"Hey, when I want to drink, I drink. When I want sex, I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich, or a fight," Dean replied.

"So…you're saying you're well adjusted?" Cas asked.

"God, no," Dean said. "I'm just well-fed." Just then, another man in a black suit carrying a briefcase. He hopped into a black car and drove off, and the hunters followed him.

~~~They followed the demon to the outside of a Biggerson's. It was dark, but demons were everywhere.

"You want to go over the plan again?" Dean asked Cas, who was distracted by the empty wrapper in his hand. "Hey, happy meal! The plan?" Cas jumped and looked at Dean, though he was still distracted.

"I take the knife, I go in, I cut off the ring hand of Famine, and I meet you back here in the parking lot," Cas recited.

"Cas, maybe I should go," Sara said, reaching for the knife. Cas, however, snatched it away.

"I'm fine," he insisted, and vanished. A few seconds went by. That was enough to worry Sara and Dean.

"This is taking too long," he said. They both got out of the car and snuck in through the back door. In the kitchen, a man had dove face first into the fryer, and was in it up to his waist. "Cas?" Dean whispered.

"Cas!" Sara whispered, a little louder. Out in the main dining area, Cas was gorging himself on a tray of raw ground meat. Two demons attacked Sara and Dean, subdued them, and brought them to Famine.

The Horseman looked like an old man, barely alive himself. He was in a wheelchair, and an oxygen tube was in his nose. He looked decrepit, barely able to function. It was obvious why Lucifer had sent demons to take care of him.

"The other Mr. Winchester," Famine said by way of greeting. "And Lady Sarakiel. How nice to see you again."

"The feeling is all but mutual, Famine," Sara spat back.

"What did you do to him?" Dean asked, pointing to Cas.

"You sicced your dog on me," Famine mocked. "I just threw him a steak."

"So this is your big trick? Huh?" Dean said. "Making people cuckoo for cocoa puffs?"

"Doesn't take much," Famine replied. "Hardly a push. Oh, America – All you can eat, all the time. Consume, consume. A swarm of locusts in stretch pants. And yet, you're all still starving because hunger doesn't just come from the body. It also comes from the soul."

"Funny, it doesn't seem to be coming from mine," Dean pointed out.

"Yes, I noticed that," Famine said. "Have you wondered why that is? Why you can even walk in my presence? Why, even the archangel is feeling the effects." Dean looked over at Sara, who was sweating profusely and shaking. She looked like she was fighting something with everything that she had.

"Sara?" Dean asked. "You okay?" Famine laughed. Sara gritted her teeth and let out a grunt of pain as Famine focused more of himself on her. "Sara!"

"I could have saved her, Dean!" Sara finally screamed, doubling over. "I could have fought Lucifer and saved Kat! I didn't fight because I couldn't risk the angels finding me. Dean, please, I need you to be mad at me! Hit me, shoot me, do something! Punish me so I can stop punishing myself!" Tears were streaming down her face, but it didn't seem the pain was letting up.

"Leave her alone!" Dean shouted at Famine.

"You didn't answer my question, Dean," Famine replied. "Have you ever wondered why you are unaffected?"

"I'm not saying a damn thing until you leave her alone!" Dean shouted, kneeling down next to Sara. Famine laughed again, and backed off, leaving Sara weeping and gasping for breath. Dean was shoved away from her, and two demons dragged her next to Cas, who barely even noticed her presence.

"I see," Famine said, getting closer to Dean. "That's one deep, dark nothing you got there, Dean. Can't fill it, can you? Not with food or drink, not even with sex."

"Oh, you're so full of crap," Dean spat, not taking his eyes off of the weeping archangel.

"Oh, you can smirk and joke and lie to your brother, lie to yourself, lie to your wife, but not to me!" Famine mocked. "I can see inside you, Dean. I can see how broken you are, how defeated. You can't win, and you know it. But you just keep fighting. Just…keep going through the motions. You're not hungry, Dean, because inside, you're already dead." Sara managed to calm down enough to look up at Dean, who was looking afraid and crushed.

"Let him go," a voice said from the door. Dean and Sara both looked up to see Sam standing there, his lips stained with blood.

"Sam," Famine said, as if greeting a favorite child.

"Sammy, no!" Dean cried.

"Sam," Sara whispered. Two demons made to attack the younger Winchester, but Famine stopped them.

"Stop! No one lays a finger on this sweet little boy," the horseman commanded. "Sam, I see you got the snack I sent you."

"You sent?" Sam spat.

"Don't worry," Famine assured him. "You're not like everyone else. You'll never die from drinking too much. You're the exception that proves the rule. Just the way Satan wanted you to be. So, cut their throats. Have at them!" He motioned to the other demons, shifted uncomfortably. Instead, Sam lifted his hands, and pulled all five demons from their vessels at once. Dean and Sara just watched in horror. They couldn't say a word. Then, Sam put his hand down.

"No," he said simply.

"Fine," Famine said. "If you don't want them, then I'll have them." With a wave of his hand, he consumed all five demons at once. Sam stepped forward when he was done and held out his hand.

"I'm a Horseman, Sam," Famine laughed. "Your power doesn't work on me."

"You're right," Sam replied. "But it will work on them." Sam began to rip out the souls of the demons that Famine had consumed. Famine screamed with pain as Sam exorcised every single one until the Horseman lay before them, dead.

Cas looked at Sam, as if waking up from a dream. Sara, who was finally pain free, and Dean, who was still in shock, also looked at Sam.

In Bobby's basement, they had locked Sam in the panic room again so that he could sober up. They all knew that the process would be painful because it had been a while, and Sam had consumed a great amount of blood in a short amount of time.

"That's not him in there. Not really," Cas told Dean, who was just staring at the panic room door.

"I know," Dean replied.

"Dean, Sam just has to get it out of his system," Cas assured him. "Then he'll be –"

"Listen…I just…uh…I just need to get some air." Dean walked up the stairs and Cas and Sara both heard the door close. Moments later, they heard him praying. Sara decided to answer him, appearing out in the scrap yard.

"You prayed?" she asked quietly.

"I didn't mean for you to hear that," Dean said.

"Dean, Cas and I can always hear you. I thought we could talk," Sara replied.

"There's nothing to talk about, Sara," Dean said, and walked away before Sara could say anything. Sara closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.

With a scream of frustration, she pulled out her blade and began plunging it into a nearby car, destroying the seats. When that didn't calm her down, she screamed even louder and blasted the car to pieces. Cas came out to see a smoldering hole where the car once was, and Sara with her hand outstretched, panting.

"Sara," Cas said, somewhat timidly. Sara whirled around, her eyes still glowing blue, her face a picture of pure anger.

"I'm going to get her back, Cas," she snarled. "I'm going to get her back even if it means I have to fight the entirety of Heaven and Hell to do it."


	22. Losing Faith (Lemon Warning)

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5 Episode 17: 99 Problems.

There was one person who Sara knew would be able to tell her where her Father was, and she knew where he would be. There was a secluded place in the world that only a few knew about. The place where it all began.

The Garden.

It had been a small matter for her to slip in. The Garden had mostly been abandoned ever since the serpent corrupted Adam and Eve had been let in. When she came in, a wave of nostalgia hit her. The last time she had been here, it had been to help flush out the serpent and any others who were with it. Now, it seemed peaceful, albeit a little overgrown.

"I wondered when you would come and find me," a voice said behind her. Sara turned around slowly, the voice evoking some wonderful memories. Standing before her was an elderly black gentleman, dressed plainly, with a wise light in his brown eyes.

"Hello, Joshua," Sara said quietly.

"You've certainly changed, Sarakiel. You're much…wiser than last we met," Joshua said, smiling kindly at her.

"I think you know what I'm going to ask you," Sara said.

"I do, and no, I won't tell you where he is." Sara nodded and sighed. She knew that he probably wouldn't have told her anyway, but she had to try. "I won't tell you because I don't know," he continued. "However, I will tell you the same thing I told Sam and Dean."

"You've seen Sam and Dean?" Sara asked.

"I have."

"What did He want to tell them?"

"Back off." Sara waited for a moment, and then realized that this was the message.

"Back off? That's all?" she asked, getting angry.

"He knows that the apocalypse is coming, he just doesn't think it's his problem," Joshua continued.

"Not his….this is His creation! This is all His work that we fought so hard to protect! He banished Lucifer to protect it!" Sara was shouting now. Joshua remained calm, allowing her to work out her anger like a parent does with a child.

"He's tired, Sarakiel. You're better off letting it happen," Joshua said quietly. "Besides, you've got other things to worry about right now."

"What other…," Sara began, and then, she heard Dean's voice echoing in her head. They were in trouble. She looked at Joshua, who only grinned, and she left to find them.

On her way, she tried to find Cas, but he was hiding from her, which was troubling her, but she didn't have time to look in to it further.

BACK ON EARTH

She found the boys in Blue Earth, Minnesota, a small town that looked like it had been placed under martial law. All her senses were screaming that there were demons everywhere. However, of all the people she saw, none of them were possessed. Well, better find the bar. If they're anywhere, it's there. Sure enough, she found her favorite hunters among the townsfolk.

"Guys!" she called. Sam saw her first.

"Hey! Have you heard from Cas?" he asked as he came over to her. "I've been trying to call him, and I can't get through."

"No, I heard from him either," she replied.

"Well, all the better that you're here. Maybe you know," Dean said, coming up beside her.

"Local pastor's daughter is a prophet," Sam explained. "Leah Gideon."

"She's not," Sara began, but church bells cut her off. Everyone in the bar got up and began to exit.

"Paul, what's going on?" Sam asked the bartender.

"Leah's had another vision," Paul replied before following the others.

"Wanna go to church?" Sam asked Sara and Dean.

"You know me, downright pious," Dean replied, and the three of them followed the crowd.

"Three miles off Talmadge road," Pastor Gideon said to the gathered congregation. A girl with long blonde hair, whom Sara assumed was Leah Gideon, whispered something in his ear. "Five miles," he corrected himself. "There are demons gathered. I…don't know how many, but a lot. Thank you, Leah." The girl smiled a charming smile. "So, who's going to join me?" There was no shortage of volunteers, including the Winchesters and the Angel. The Pastor said a prayer, calling on God to watch over them, to which Sam and Dean scoffed slightly. They loaded up in a few cars and drove off to the site.

At the house, the congregation was chanting something in Enochian, causing the demons to smoke out. The first time she heard it, Sara almost snorted out loud. That wasn't even close to an exorcism, but they were being swarmed with demons, and she didn't have time to address it with anyone. Once they were done, everyone met up outside.

"I guess that's what it's like, huh?" Sam mused as they gathered to go back to town.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Having backup," Sam explained. Dean and Sara both nodded when they heard their names.

"Dean! Sam!" One of the older boys that was with them ran up. "Hey, so…um…is it cool that I get a ride back with you guys?" Dean and Sam looked at each other, and then Dean waved the rest of the party off.

"Hey you saved my ass twice today," Dean said. "One more, and you can drive."

"I'm Dylan, by the way," the kid added, noticing Sara.

"Sara," she replied, smiling. Once the others were out of sight, Dean tossed Dylan a beer.

"Hey, you earned it. Don't tell your mom," Dean said.

"Oh believe me, I will not," Dylan replied, sounding elated. "Not having one, Sara?"

"Not much of a drinker," Sara said. As the guys cracked open a beer, something flared in the back of Sara's mind. Before she could react, Dylan was screaming and was dragged under the car.

"Dylan!" Dean shouted. Sam and Sara dragged a demon out from under the car and killed her. By then, it was too late. Dean pulled Dylan's lifeless body from the car. "Sara!" he called. The angel came running over, but his soul was gone. She just shook her head.

The funeral was small and quiet, but dignified. Sara, Dean, and Sam stood outside the church, when they saw Dylan's parents, Jane and Rob.

"Ma'am, we're just…" Dean said. "Very sorry."

"You know," Jane sobbed, her pale face stained with tears and mascara. "This is your fault." The look on her face was one of pure hatred as she looked at Dean, but her eyes were dead.

"Jane," her husband whispered, scolding her slightly. "Come on." Everyone walked into the church and sat down for the service.

"I wish I knew what to say," Pastor Gideon began. "But I don't. I'm so sorry. Jane, Rob…there are no words. Dylan…I don't know why this happened. I don't know why any of this is happening. I got not easy answers. But what I do know – Leah? Honey?" He paused as Leah fell into a seizure and collapsed. When she finally came to, she seemed dazed.

"Dad, it's Dylan," she said.

"Just rest a minute, huh?" the Pastor said, trying to calm him down.

"No, listen," Leah insisted. "Dylan's coming back." Everyone's eyes were fixed on Leah as she stood up and took a place at the head of the chapel. "Jane, Rob…It's going to be okay. You'll see Dylan again. When the final day comes, Judgement day, he'll be resurrected, and you'll be together again. We'll all be together with our loved ones. We've been chosen. The angels have chosen us. And we will be given paradise on earth. All we have to do is follow the angels' commandments!" she proclaimed, much to the elation of the gathered crowd.

Except for Sara, Dean, and Sam.

The hunters were just uneasy, but Sara was downright pissed. Halfway through the reading of the commandments, she flew off, unable to listen to it any longer. She flew to a secluded part of the mountain and took her frustration out on some trees. She didn't want to believe that this girl was a prophet, and that the angels were toying with people like this. Admittedly, this did sound like something Zachariah would do, but she doubted Michael would allow demons to get that far. That, however, was not the source of her anger. She was supposed to know the names of every single prophet that is, was, and ever will be. Every angel knew that. What if, in her imprisonment, Michael or Raphael had gone behind her back and done something? What if this was a sign of her final exile?

Finally, she threw her head back and screamed to the heavens, calling Castiel by his Enochian name. She needed another set of eyes and ears to confirm what she hoped to be true. Doing so ordered him to appear, and appear he did. As Sara beheld her friend and lover, he was completely drunk. It took a lot to get an angel drunk, but somehow, Cas had managed it.

"Where the hell have you been?" Sara snapped.

"Trying to drown my sorrows," was the slurred reply. Sara was about to snap again, but she then remembered what Joshua had said. The gardener mentioned that he had said the same thing to Sam and Dean, which means they told Cas. He was upset, depressed, and angry. Instead of getting angry herself, she just sighed.

"Sam and Dean need us," she said softly, slinging his arm over her shoulder to help steady him. Together, they flew back to where Sam mentioned their motel was. When they arrived, Sam was alone, engrossed in some books.

"I got your message," Cas said, startling Sam. "It was long, your message. And I find the sound of your voice grating."

"What's wrong with you?" Sam asked. Once he got a good look at the angel, his next question was halting. "Are you…drunk?"

"No!" Cas said, but subsequently grabbed the wall for support as he moved toward Sam. The younger Winchester looked at Sara, who just nodded. "Yes," Cas admitted.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"I found a liquor store," Cas replied.

"And?"

"And I drank it!" Cas moved a few more steps toward Sam, who held out his arms to try and steady the drunken mess of an angel.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Cas motioned for him to come closer. Sam hesitantly moved his ear next to Cas' mouth.

"Don't ask stupid questions," Cas said. "Tell me what you need." Sam looked at Sara, who just shook her head and moved to Cas to help him sit down.

"There have been these – these demon attacks," Sam began. "Massive, right on the edge of town. And we can't figure out why they're…"

"Any sign of angels?" Cas asked.

"Sort of," Sam replied. "They've been speaking to this prophet."

"Who?" Cas looked down. Sara knew he was going through the same list that she had in her head.

"This girl, Leah Gideon."

"She's not a prophet," Cas said almost immediately. Sara felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders a bit. If even a drunken Cas could say that with certainty, that means she was right.

"I'm pretty sure she is," Sam continued. "Visions, headaches – the whole package."

"The names of ALL the prophets, they're seared into my brain," Cas insisted. "Leah Gideon is not one of them."

"Then what is she?" Sam asked. That was the question everyone needed answered, now.

It was daylight before they saw Dean again. He walked in, his hands covered in blood.

"Dean, are you alright?" Sara asked, motioning to the blood on his hands.

"Yeah," Dean said, sounding a little dazed. "It's not my blood. Paul's dead."

"What?!" Sam exclaimed.

"Jane shot him," Dean explained.

"It's starting," Cas said from his place on the couch.

"What's starting. Where the hell have you been?" Dean asked, moving towards Cas.

"On a bender," Cas said frankly, looking at Dean.

"Did he…" Dean said, looking at Sam and Sara, and back at Cas. "Did you say on a bender?"

"Yeah, he's still pretty smashed," Sam confirmed.

"It is not of import," Cas said, brushing it off. "We need to talk about what's happening here."

"Well, I'm all ears," Dean said, going to the kitchenette to wash the blood off of his hands.

"Well, for starters," Sam began. "Leah is not a real prophet." Dean finished washing and turned to face the other three.

"Well, what is she exactly?" he asked.

"The whore," Cas replied. Dean looked a little shocked.

"Wow, Cas, tell us what you really think," he said.

"She rises when Lucifer walks the earth," Cas explained, point to an old bible that lay open on the table.

"And she shall come, bearing false prophecy," Sara quoted. "This creature has the power to take a human's form, read minds."

"Book of Revelation calls her the Whore of Babylon," Cas finished, shifting the bible so that Dean could read it.

"Well, that's catchy," Dean quipped.

"The real Leah was probably killed months ago," Sam said.

"What about the demons attacking the town?" Dean asked.

"They're under her control," Cas answered.

"And the Enochian exorcism?"

"Fake," Sara replied. "It actually means 'You breed with the mouth of a goat'." Cas chuckled. When no one else laughed, he cleared his throat slightly.

"It's funnier in Enochian," he muttered.

"So, the demons smoking out is just a con?" Dean continued. "Why? What's the endgame?"

"Just what you saw," Sara said grimly. "Innocent blood spilled in God's name. It's the crusades all over again."

"You heard all that heaven talk," Sam added. "She manipulates people."

"To slaughter, and kill, and sing preppy little hymns," Dean muttered, rising and trying to wrap his head around everything. "Awesome."

"Her goal is to condemn as many souls to Hell as possible," Cas went on. "And, it's just the beginning. She's well on her way to dragging this whole town into the pit."

"Alright," Dean said. "So, then, how do we go Pimp of Babylon all over this bitch?" In response, Cas vanished.

"Where'd he go?" Sam asked.

"To Babylon," Sara answered, walking over to the window.

"Why there?" Dean asked.

"You'll see." She looked out over what she could see of the town, studying the souls she saw before her. They were dark, tainted…and innocent.

"Sara," Dean said, causing her to turn around. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Sara replied, looking away.

"No, you're not," Dean said, standing up. "You've barely been able to look at me, let alone this whole vanishing act you've been playing the last few weeks. Is this about what happened with Famine?"

"It was a moment of weakness," Sara said, trying to divert the conversation away from that topic. "I'm ashamed that you even saw me like that."

"Sara, that was the strongest I've ever seen you," Dean insisted, grasping Sara by the shoulders. "That took a lot of guts to even admit to me, let alone admit to yourself."

"Dean," Sara tried to move away, but Dean didn't let her. Instead, he gently grasped her face and forced her to look at him.

"I'm not mad at you," he said firmly. "I don't blame you for what happened to Kat. I know you would have stopped it if you could have."

"But I could have stopped it," Sara whimpered, tears coming to her eyes. "I could have."

"Listen to me, Sarakiel," Dean said, not letting go of her face, but speaking gently and sincerely. "If you had tried to stop Lucifer from taking Kat, we would have lost you both, and my best chance at getting her back would have been gone. Losing her is hard enough, but I can't lose you, too." Sara broke down into tears, burying her face in Dean's shoulder. Dean gave her a reassuring hug. "I can't be mad at you, Sara. Even if I was, Kat would have my ass. She knows it's not your fault, either. It's gonna be alright, I promise."

"I should be saying that to you," Sara replied, sitting up and wiping the tears from her face.

"We good?" Dean asked. Sara nodded and calmed down. Moments later, Cas returned, bearing a sharpened branch from a tree.

"The whore can be killed with that," he said, putting it on the table. "It's a stake made from a cypress tree in Babylon."

"Great," Dean said, picking it up. "Let's ventilate her."

"It's not that easy," Sara said, getting Cas a glass of water.

"'Course not," Dean scoffed.

"The whore can only be killed by a true Servant of Heaven," Cas explained.

"Servant, like…" Dean began.

"Not you, or me, or Sara. Sam, of course, is an abomination," Cas continued. "We'll have to find someone else."

"The Pastor," Sara said. "He'd be perfect."

"You're going to ask him to kill his daughter?" Sam asked.

"Do we really have much of a choice, Sam? Besides, that's not his daughter," Sara replied. "We'll have to wait to get him until tonight. We need to get him away from the Whore."

That night, they found the Pastor in the church parking lot, alone. Cas and Sara appeared behind him.

"Pastor David Gideon?" Cas asked.

"Who are you?" he asked Cas, and then saw Sara. "You were with Sam and Dean."

"We're angels of the Lord," Sara said.

"Yeah, sure," Gideon scoffed. Cas put a hand on his shoulder, and the three of them returned to the motel with a rush of wind.

"What the hell was that?" Gideon asked, looking around.

"Yeah, they weren't lying about the angel thing," Dean said. "Have a seat, Padre. We gotta have a chat."

They explained the situation to him, showing him the passage from Revelations, and the cypress branch. Gideon looked at it for a few moments, and then put it down, shaking his head.

"No," he said. "She's my daughter."

"I'm sorry, but she's not," Dean said. "She's the thing that killed your daughter."

"That's impossible," Gideon insisted.

"But it's true, and deep down, you know it," Sam said. "Look, we get it. It's took much. But if you don't do this, she's going to kill a lot of people, and damn the rest to hell."

"You've been questioning her for some time, haven't you?" Sara asked, peering into his mind. "What she claims as the commands of the angels doesn't make sense to you, like the forgiveness of Jane murdering Paul?" Gideon looked at her, meeting her solemn gray eyes. He looked stressed, and close to tears.

"It's just…why does it have to be me?" he asked.

"You're a Servant of Heaven," Cas said.

"And you're an angel," Gideon replied, still skeptical.

"A poor example of one," Cas admitted. Dean held the cypress branch out to Gideon, who still looked hesitant.

Cas sat outside to try and work off some of the hangover. Sara sat across from Gideon, who was still contemplating the branch.

"Are you really an angel?" he asked.

"I have no reason to lie to you, David," Sara replied.

"Would they truly do something like this?"

"One or two would like to," Sara admitted. "But, the only one who would benefit from this would be Lucifer, and that's not exactly Heaven, is it?"

"Leah kept mentioning a great battle between Heaven and Hell. Is that true?" he asked. Sara understood the probing questions, and though annoyed, knew that it was best if he knew the truth.

"Yes," she said. A look of fear crossed the poor pastor's face. "Only, it's not between Heaven and Hell. It's supposed to be between Lucifer and Michael, my eldest brothers."

"What did you say your name was, again?"

"Sarakiel."

"Why don't I know you? Michael and Lucifer I've heard of, and I know the names Michael and Gabriel. I've never come across you in the Bible, though," Gideon pointed out.

"Patriarchal society, you really think they'd mention a female Archangel?" Sara asked. Gideon nodded his understanding. "It's fine. My vessel has allowed me to do some good on this Earth, as has Castiel's. What matters right now, however, is the good you can do as a human, and a true Servant of Heaven."

Sara and Cas teleported into the church to wait for Leah, while Sam, Dean, and Gideon were ready with the stake. This close to the girl, Sara could easily make out her true form. She mentally kicked herself for not seeing it sooner. As soon as the girl opened the closet, Cas grabbed her and held her for Gideon to strike.

"Daddy, don't hurt me!" Leah cried.

"Gideon, now!" Sam shouted. In the moment of confusion, Leah rattled off a spell in Enochian, completely incapacitating Cas.

"Cas, no!" Sara cried, running over to him. Leah used some telekinetic power to shove her, Dean, Sam, and David out of the way, and ran yelling into the other room. The men all ran after her while Sara crawled over to Cas. She hadn't heard the spell, so she didn't know what the Whore had done to him.

"Shit, shit, shit," she cursed under her breath. She rolled him on to his back and put a hand on his chest, holding him down with the other hand.

"Sara, please," he begged through his screams of pain. Trying to block the noise out, she concentrated on what the Whore had done. "Sara, help me!"

"I'm trying, Cas," she replied, trying to follow the pain to the source through his body. When she finally found it, she was surprised at what the Whore had said. Pizin noco iad roughly translated to "torture the servant of God". She opened her eyes and looked at Cas. "Open your eyes," she said. He was still writhing in pain. "Castiel, look at me," she commanded, her voice laced with authority. Cas obeyed, despite still being in pain. "BOLP ETHARZI NOCO IAD*," she intoned. Almost instantly, Cas quieted, and began to breath easier. However, he was still worn out. After confirming that he was in no more pain, she ran into the other room just in time to see Dean stake the Whore.

It killed her.

That made her uneasy. Only a true Servant of Heaven was supposed to be able to kill her. If Dean was able to do it, then he was closer to serving as Michael's vessel than she realized. He could deny it all he wanted, but the fact that he was able to kill an Apocalypse beast was more than enough evidence of what he was actually thinking.

"But…I don't understand," Jane, Dylan's mother, said, looking hopelessly at the Whore. "How are we supposed to get to paradise now?"

"I'm sorry," Dean said. "Pretty sure you're headed in a different direction." He then looked at Sara. "Why don't we ask an actual angel?"

"Dean, don't," she said, starting to back out of the room.

"Sara, these people were lead astray by this bitch," Sam said. "Isn't there something you can do? You're an archangel, don't you have some pull?" At the word 'archangel' Jane and Rob looked at her, both with eyes full of hope.

"Are you really an angel?" Jane asked. Sara glared at Dean, a look that actually made him flinch.

"Yes," she muttered. Rob and Jane both fell to their knees in front of her. Jane even grabbed her hands, tears in her eyes. Sara looked down at her, peering in to her soul. She saw a mother, grieved by the loss of her son, and willing to do anything to see him again. She believed in God, but her understanding of the faith was skewed and tainted, something that was going to be very difficult, if not impossible, to correct.

"Please, please forgive us," Jane begged. "We were just so desperate, and she was the pastor's daughter. Why wouldn't we believe the Angels spoke to her?"

"Because a true angel would never ask you to kill in the name of God," Sara spat, yanking her hand from Jane's grasp. "And before anyone says anything about the Crusades, that was you misguided, self-absorbed humans who only wanted things for yourself, never thinking about how you treated others." She pointed at the Pastor. "That man, the leader of your congregation, spoke as a true servant of Heaven. He doubted the words of the Whore, and he tried to stop her. He was willing to kill this creature who had taken the face of his own daughter, because deep down, he knew it was the right thing to do. Instead, you allowed yourselves to be corrupted and tainted." The more she spoke, the more she began to glow. Slowly, the shadow of her wings came into view. Every human in the room was cowed by her powerful figure. Sara snapped her fingers, opening the door to the storage closet, where the "sinners" had been put. "My father said long ago that murder was a sin, no matter what. You damned yourself the moment you pulled that trigger to kill Paul, and you conspired to kill others, including children," she continued, looking back down at Jane and Rob. "I felt pity for humans for so long. I blamed Lucifer for so much of the evil in the world. Now, I come to see that humanity itself is flawed. When push comes to shove, you humans will do whatever it takes to get what you want, even if it means hurting others." She then pointed to Sam and Dean. "You should be grateful to them. Because of them, I'm giving you fair notice that your souls are not joining your son in heaven. Were it up to me, I'd hand you over to Lucifer myself."

"God forgives all sins," Pastor Gideon offered.

"God is done forgiving," Sara snarled. "God is done with all of you. He's too tired, which is why the apocalypse is coming." Sara turned on her heel and walked over to Cas, who had managed to get to his feet. She pulled his arm over her shoulder.

"You wanted to hear from the angels? Then hear this: Don't bother praying to God, because no one is listening." With that, she and Cas vanished.

SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS

Up in the mountains, in a clearing similar to the one Kat liked to frequent, Sara tended to Castiel's wounds. He sat on a stump, not moving a muscle as Sara cleansed his Grace to the best of her ability.

"Did you mean what you said back there?" he asked quietly.

"What?"

"Did you mean what you said about not feeling pity for humanity any more?" Sara looked up at him, having just finished her work. She saw concern in his crystal blue eyes. Sighing, she turned her back to him and leaned against him, resting her head on his lap.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I was just so…. angry. They were being led by a good man, someone who truly lived by God's word, and they chose to be tempted. Blame Lucifer all you want, but in the end…they chose the easy way." Cas began gently stroking her hair, his fingers combing it and softly scratching her scalp. Sara closed her eyes and hummed slightly, enjoying the comforting feeling. It wasn't often that they were able to just relax like this, but she knew that it would be even less often, so she enjoyed as much as she could.

"We're all losing faith," Cas said. "God is absent, Michael and Raphael are hell-bent on the apocalypse, and most of Heaven is behind them. However, there is one thing we can believe in."

"What's that?" Cas shifted slightly, making Sara pick her head up. He slid off his stump and sat down next to her. A stormy grey sea met a clear blue sky as he gazed into her eyes. Slowly, gently, he cupped her face.

"Each other," he said simply. He then pulled Sara to him, pressing his lips to hers. Sara immediately melted into the kiss, savoring the feeling. Without separating, Cas slowly pushed her to the ground, climbing on top of her as he did. Sara moaned slightly as she felt his warm weight on top of her. Her hands began to slide on to his shoulders and stopped at the base of his wings.

For some reason, she always admired his wings. In physical appearance, they were no different than any other normal angel. To her, though, they glowed with a light that just made her feel warm. Still locked in a kiss, her hands went to the feathers and began to comb through them. Cas broke the kiss with a gasp, throwing his head back. Sara seized an opportunity and began sucking and nipping at his neck. One spot she gently bit caused him to cry out, making her smile. When she pulled away, his blue eyes were almost black with lust. It scared her slightly, but she found it more arousing than anything. Breathing heavily, Cas shed his trenchcoat and blazer simultaneously, tossing them off to the side. As he did that, Sara snapped her fingers, rendering them both topless.

Sara ran her hands over his chest, fingers tracing the lean muscle. Cas practically tore off her bra, exposing her chest to the open air. One hand began working one breast while he mouthed the other. Sara's hands froze, her eyes snapping shut and her back arching, pushing her closer to him. He switched sides, giving the other breast equal attention. Sara worked her fingers into his hair, making him groan at the grip she had. Both were vocal about their pleasure, but Sara was growing louder. Humming with satisfaction, Cas began to work his way lower, kissing and licking the whole way down. Sara looked down at him as he reached the waistband of her pants. Slowly, he pulled the zipper down with his teeth before working the button open and pulling her pants and underwear down her legs. Sara lifted her hips up to give him easier access but shivered as the cool mountain air caressed her body. He was caught for a moment on her shoes, which were quickly kicked off.

A small voice in her head reminded her that both she and Castiel were still in their vessels. What would happen if Kat ended up pregnant with Jimmy's baby? How would Amelia and Claire take that? How would Dean? For a moment, Sara met Cas' eyes, wordlessly sharing that concern.

"Do you want to continue?" Cas asked, fighting not to pounce on her then and there. Sara thought for a moment, and then realized that while her vessel was human, she could prevent the pregnancy if she wished. Although she would have loved to see Kat become a mother, forcing her to become one was not right. Grinning, Sara rose to her knees and ran her hand down Cas' left leg, causing the rest of his clothes to disappear. They both stopped for a moment, taking each other in. To the rest of the world, they looked like two naked humans standing in the middle of the woods. To each other, they were two winged angels, standing before each other, ready to make a commitment that neither of them took lightly. The lust-filled air dissipated slightly as they embraced each other, sharing a tender, chaste kiss, acknowledging what they were about to do.

"Cas, is this what you want?" Sara asked him. "You want to bind yourself to me?" Cas answered by kissing her harder, hitching Sara's right leg around his waist.

"Sara, I love you," he said, his words solid with a sense of finality. "You have had my heart for centuries, but I was not allowed to confess it. Now, I can, and I can say with complete certainty that I want to spend eternity with you." Sara smiled and allowed him to lower her back on to the ground, leg still wrapped around his waist. She could feel her core becoming warm and wet, but that did not lessen the feeling of Cas sliding in.

Both angels moaned at the sensation of their joining. Cas maintained a slow pace, relishing every feeling. Sara wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice echoing through the forest. This felt right. This felt more right than anything she had ever felt before. Her thoughts were interrupted by Cas moving faster. The tension began to build, causing Sara to cry out louder.

"C…caAAAS!" she moaned, her hands grasping at his shoulders. Cas hissed slightly as her fingernails dug into his skin, but the sensation only spurred him on.

"Sara," he breathed, feeling his climax near. "I'm…"

"Me too," she replied.

Moments later, their part of the forest exploded with white light. Wordless cries coupled with an Enochian word or two rang out through the trees.

Castiel and Sarakiel were bonded.

*rough translation: be thou at peace, servant of God


	23. The Bridge is Crossed

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat.

When Cas and Sara caught up to Sam, they discovered that Dean had run off. Luckily, Sam had some idea as to where he had gone. They tracked him down to a motel not far from where Lisa and Ben were living. He was packing up some things to send to Bobby when Sam found him. It didn't even take a mind-read to figure out what Dean was planning to do.

He was planning to say yes to Michael.

Sara and Cas were pissed. Sara was angry on Kat's behalf, and Cas was angry for his own reasons. Sam had asked them to come with him for back up. Sure enough, they were needed.

"You know I have to stop you," they heard Sam say as they waited outside.

"Yeah, well, you can try," Dean replied. "Just remember: you're not all hopped up on demon blood this time."

"Yeah, I know," Sam replied. "But I brought help." Dean turned around to see two very angry angels standing in front of him. Cas reached out, put two fingers on Dean's forehead, and rendered him unconscious. They brought him to Bobby's house, where the old hunter was deep into research. When he came to, Dean was pissed.

"Yeah, no, this is good," he said as they were gathered in the study one day, complaining for the 50th time that day. "You know, eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens."

"You ain't helpin'," Bobby said, pouring over a book.

"Yeah, well, why don't you let me get out of your hair, then?" Dean spat, and started to leave the room, only to be stopped by Sara getting in his way, and Bobby's voice.

"What the hell happened to you?" Bobby asked.

"Reality happened," Dean snarled. "Nuclear is the only option we have left. Michael can ice the devil, save a boatload of people."

"But not all of them," Bobby pointed out. "We gotta think of something else."

"Yeah, well, that's easy for you to say," Dean replied. "But if Lucifer burns this mother down, and I coulda done something about it, guess what? That's on me!"

"You can't give up, son," Bobby said, quietly.

"You're not my father," Dean spat. "And you ain't in my shoes." With a sigh, Bobby reached into his desk and pulled out a revolver, setting it down on the desktop. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a single round, looking at it. "What's that?"

"That's the round I mean to put through my skull," Bobby said, grimly, as he put the bullet next to the gun. Sam and Sara stared at him, wide eyed. "Every morning, I look at it. "I think, 'maybe today's the day I flip the lights out'. But I don't do it. I never do it. You know why? Because I promised you I wouldn't give up!" As Dean looked appropriately scolded, Cas and Sara both winced, gasping in pain.

"You guys okay?" Sam asked.

"No," Cas answered.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's happening," Sara said.

"Where?" Dean asked. There was no answer, as Cas and Sara vanished in a rush of wind.

XXX

In some non-descript woods, there was an area where the trees had been completely knocked over and destroyed. It was a circular area not unlike where Dean had first risen when Cas rescued him from hell. Said angel and his bonded mate walked around, noticing that the earth was pulsating, as if it were alive. Sara drew her blade and looked around as Cas knelt to touch the ground.

"CAS!" Sara cried, dodging an attack from an angel. Cas drew his own blade and began to fight a second angel. The scuffle was short lived, as both Sara and Cas were seasoned warriors, Sara especially. As soon as she was sure that they were done, Sara put her blade away and helped Cas with the earth, where a hand had reached up through it. They pulled at the hand and brought out a body that Sara was very surprised to see. She and Cas looked at each other, worried and confused.

XXX

They appeared back in Bobby's study, supporting the soil-covered body between them.

"Help!" Cas called, his voice a little strained.

"Boys!" Bobby yelled. Sam and Dean both ran into the study as Sara and Cas deposited the body on a cot. "Who is it?"

"That's our brother," Sam replied.

"Wait a minute," Bobby said. "Your brother? Adam?"

Adam Milligan was Sam and Dean's half-brother by John, their father. He and his mother had been killed by ghouls that had almost killed Sam. Last Sara knew, Adam and his mom were in heaven. If he was here, it was a problem.

"Cas, what the hell?" Dean asked.

"Angels," Cas answered.

"Angels? Why?" Sam asked.

"I know one thing for sure," Sara replied. "We need to hide him, now." Cas put a hand on Adam's chest and carved Enochian symbols into his ribcage, as he had done for Sam, Dean, and Kat. The pain of the carving, however, was enough to wake Adam up.

"Where am I?" he cried out, startled.

"It's okay," Sam said. "Just relax. You're save."

"Who the hell are you?" Adam demanded.

"You're going to find this a little….a lot crazy," Dean replied. "But, we're actually your brothers."

"It's the truth," Sam agreed. "John Winchester is our father, too. I'm Sam…"

"Yeah, and I'm sure that's Dean," Adam finished, cutting Sam off. "I know who you are."

"How?" Sam asked.

"They warned me about you."

"Who?" Sara asked.

"The angels," Adam said. "Now where the hell is Zachariah?" Sara sighed. Of course, Zachariah would be behind this.

XXX

Once Adam got cleaned up, they all sat down in Bobby's study.

"So, why don't you just tell us everything," Dean said. "Start from the beginning."

"Well, I was dead and in Heaven," Adam began. "'Cept it…ah…kinda looked like my prom, and I was making out with this girl, her name was Kristin McGee…"

"Yeah, that sounds like heaven," Dean chuckled. "Did you get to third base?"

"Just keep going," Sam said after a look at his brother.

"Well, these…these angels, they popped out of nowhere, and they tell me that I…I'm chosen," Adam continued.

"For what?" Sara asked.

"To save the world," Adam replied.

"How you gonna do that?" Dean asked.

"Oh, me and some archangel are going to kill the devil," Adam replied, a bit too nonchalantly for Sara's taste.

"What archangel?" she asked.

"Michael," Adam replied. "I'm his, uh, sword or vessel or something."

"Well, that's insane," Dean scoffed.

"Not necessarily," Cas said. "Maybe they're moving on from you, Dean."

"Well, that doesn't make sense," Dean scoffed again.

"He is John Winchester's bloodline," Sara said, her voice resigned. "Sam's brother. It's not perfect, but it's possible."

"You gotta be kidding me," Dean said.

"Why would they do this?" Sam asked Cas and Sara.

"Maybe they're desperate," Cas offered.

"Maybe they wrongly assumed Dean would be brave enough to withstand them," Sara added, looking pointedly at Dean.

"Blow me," Dean sneered.

"Look, no way," Sam said. "After everything that's happened? All that crap about destiny? Suddenly the angels have a plan B? Does that smell right to anybody?"

"No, it doesn't," Sara said. "Michael is many things, and one of them is a perfectionist. If destiny says that it must be you and Dean, it would take a lot for him to accept any type of substitute."

"You know, this has been a really moving family reunion," Adam interrupted, getting up. "But, uh, I got a thing, so…"

"Sit down," Sam said, getting up and stopping him. "Just listen, okay? Please."

"It's unbelievable," Adam sighed, but sat down nonetheless.

"Now, Adam," Sam said. "The angels are lying to you. They're full of crap."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Adam scoffed, sounding a lot like Dean.

"Really. Why not?" Sam challenged.

"Uh, cause they're angels," Adam insisted.

"You said you talked to Zachariah, right?" Sara asked. Adam nodded. "He's a salesman. He'll say anything to seal the deal, because if he doesn't, Michael will scatter his atoms to the ends of the universe."

"How do you know?" Adam snapped.

"Because he's my brother," Sara snapped back, her eyes glowing blue. "Michael also wants me dead, or at least in prison, because unlike him, I don't want the world to get roasted in his effort to show Dad what a good son he is." Adam leaned back slightly at the sight of the angry archangel, but a quick shoulder squeeze and whispered word from Cas calmed her down. There was a moment of awkward silence before Sam cleared his throat and continued.

"They tell you they're gonna roast have the planet?" Sam asked Adam.

"They said the fight might get pretty hairy, but it is the devil, right?" Adam replied. "So, we got to stop him."

"Yeah, but there's another way," Sam insisted.

"Great. What is it?"

"We're working on the power of love," Dean said, a mocking smile on his face. Sam and the angels glared at him.

"How's that going?" Adam asked, his voice full of fake cheer.

"Mmm, not good," Dean replied.

"Not helping," Sara snarled.

"Look, Adam," Sam said, stepping in. "You don't know me from a hole in the wall, I know. But I'm begging you: please, just trust me. Give me some time."

"Give me one good reason," Adam challenged.

"Because we're blood," Sam said after a moment.

"You've got no right to say that to me," Adam said quietly.

"You're still John's boy," Bobby said from his place behind the desk.

"No, John Winchester was some guy who took me to a baseball game once a year," Adam fired back. "I don't have a dad. So, we may be blood, but we're not family. My mom is my family, and if I do my job, I get to see her again." Ah, there was the selling point Zachariah had used. "So, no offense, but she's the one I give a rat's ass about, not you." He then rounded on Sara, getting in her face. "And if you loved Michael like these two claim to care about be, you'd help him do his job, too."

"I love Michael because he's my brother," Sara replied, keeping her tone even. "There is no other love there. You know why? Because he treated me like shit my whole life. He treated me like I wasn't even his sister; like I was just another person there that he had to worry about. Michael doesn't care about me, the world, or you. When he's done with you, you'll be a drooling mess that will be even less than a vegetable. You'll be alive, but completely dead, and your soul? Will be in tatters, to the point where your mom probably won't even recognize you."

"Sara, easy," Sam said. "Adam, that's more than fair. But, if you have one good memory of dad, just one, then you'll give us a little more time."

XXX

Everyone traded off on guard duty on Adam. Sam had him first, while Cas and Sara locked Dean away in Bobby's panic room. The whole time, Cas was fuming. The longer they stood there, the angrier he got. Finally, Sam came downstairs and they opened the door. Cas' expression was one of almost pure loathing, and Sara didn't make a move to intercept or change it.

"Well, Cas, not for nothing, but the last person who looked at me like that…I got laid," Dean said. Cas didn't say a word.

"Uh, why don't you, uh, go keep an eye on Adam?" Sam offered as he stepped inside the panic room. Not taking his eyes off Dean, Cas pushed the door closed, waving his hand about 5 feet away. Once it was closed, Cas went to go upstairs. It was only then that Sara stopped him.

"Cas, don't do something stupid," she said softly. He just looked at her. The two shared a look, and he walked upstairs. With a sigh, Sara sat down on the stairs, waiting for Sam to come out of the panic room. They had already discussed keeping both Sam and Adam there. Locking Dean in the panic room had become necessary, especially with Adam now in the picture. With Adam upstairs, Dean here, and her and Cas out in the open, there were too many flight risks. The archangel sighed and plopped her head into her hands in frustration. Sitting there in silence, except for Sam coming out of the panic room and going upstairs, Sara found herself lulled into a stupor, a quiet, meditative state. Her mind went blank and before she realized it, a few hours had passed, and Cas was coming back downstairs. "Everything okay?" she asked her mate as he walked by.

"All quiet," was the curt reply. He slid the bars open on the panic room door and peeked in. When he kept looking, Sara got worried. "Dean?" Cas called. When there was no reply, Cas opened the door and walked inside. "Dean?" he called again. Sara came to the edge of the panic room to look in.

"Cas," they both heard. They looked to their right just in time to see Dean move a cabinet door, revealing a banishing sigil. He slammed his hand to it, and Cas and Sara were banished, screaming as they went.

XXX

Somehow, they both ended up in the same spot, off in the middle of a field somewhere. Sara was fuming now, but Cas was completely livid. The archangel was unsure if she had ever seen him so angry before, and she'd seen him in battle.

"What the hell is he thinking?" Cas snarled. "After everything we've done for him? I went against Heaven for him, so did you! And for what? So, he could just give in to Michael and let the apocalypse happen?" He was pacing back and forth as Sara was brushing her clothes off.

"Cas," she said quietly, reaching out to grab his arm, but he yanked away, still furious. Sara pulled her hand back, deciding to let him work it out. After a few moments more of fuming and pacing, Cas suddenly grabbed Sara's shoulders, pulling her to face him. His eyes were still flashing, but his grasp and expression were gentle.

"They could kill both of us for what we've done," he whispered, gently grasping Sara's face, and pressing his forehead to hers, his eyes closed. "Michael could destroy us, or worse, torture us. Just the thought…. I can't even think about you in pain, Sara." Sara closed her eyes and linked her fingers on the back of Cas' neck.

"They won't touch me, Cas, and they won't touch you. I won't let them," she whispered.

"Sara, even you can't fight Michael," Cas pointed out, not moving an inch.

"I know. But I'll be damned if I don't try," Sara said. Cas opened his eyes and pressed his lips to Sara's in a firm kiss. Sara replied in kind.

"Together," he said.

"Or not at all," Sara added. Suddenly, a very loud prayer echoed across angel radio. One of the humans Zachariah used to find Dean and Sam was calling out, which meant Dean was with him. Looking at each other, they had a momentary, silent conversation. Cas' eyes were flashing again, and the livid expression was back on his face. Without another word, they vanished, flying to the loud preacher.

XXX

They found him practically shouting the Our Father prayer into the night sky. Dean was standing right next to him.

"You pray too loud," Cas grumbled, pressing to fingers on the preacher's head, putting him to sleep. He then dragged Dean into a nearby alley and started beating the ever-loving shit out of him.

"What, are you crazy?" Dean shouted after the first punch or two. Cas didn't stop, and Sara didn't stop him. Honestly, she felt the same way. Her real strength could kill Dean, though, so she held back, allowing her anger to be vicariously let out by Cas.

"I rebelled for this?!" the furious angel snarled, slamming Dean up against a wall by the lapels of his jacket. "So that you could surrender to them?" More punches fell, and Cas threw Dean round some more.

"Cas! Please!" Dean cried, his face bloody. He then looked to Sara, whose stoic expression and folded arms quickly quelled any hope that she might stop Cas' rampage.

"I gave everything for you! And this is what you give me!" Cas continued. Finally, Dean ended up on the ground, Cas looming over him.

"Do it," Dean spat. "Just do it!" Sara unfolded her arms, ready to stop Cas this time. But there was no need. Cas relaxed his fist and, instead, touched Dean's shoulder, knocking him out cold. Sara walked up next to her mate, looking at Dean's unconscious body.

"Feel better?" she asked.

"Not really," he replied.

"Yeah…me either," Sara said. Both looked up as a message came over angel radio. Zachariah had found Adam. "Aw crap," Sara said. "The kid must have tipped them off."

"We need to get back to Bobby's," Cas said. They hoisted Dean up between them and flew back.

XXX

"He was right in front of me, and he disappeared into thin air," Bobby was saying as they arrived.

"Because the angels took him," Sara said. Sam and Bobby both looked at the trio with surprise, mainly at Dean's body between them.

"What the hell happened to him?" Sam asked.

"Me," Cas answered, and they dumped him on the cot where Adam had slept mere hours before.

"What do you mean the angels took Adam?" Bobby asked. "You branded his ribs, didn't you?"

"Yes," Cas answered. "Adam must have tipped them."

"How?" Bobby wondered.

"I don't know," Sara replied. "Maybe in a dream."

"Well, where would they have taken him?" Sam asked.

"I think I know, but first, we need to deal with him," Sara said, motioning to Dean. With Sam's help, they carried him downstairs into the panic room and handcuffed him to the cot.

"Alright, where did they take him?" Sam asked when they were sure Dean was secure.

"Remember the green room where Zachariah took Dean and Kat? The room where they got married?" Sara asked.

"You remember that?" Cas asked.

"I had Vasa set the paperwork ahead of time," Sara replied. "I knew those two would end up together. We can look ahead, remember? Anywho, that's where they probably took Adam, and by now, Zachariah has probably dropped the bomb Adam."

"What bomb?" Bobby asked.

"That they're using him to get Dean," Sara replied. "Michael would never get his hands dirty, and Zachariah was always an ass-kisser, even when he served me."

"I recall," Cas added, frowning at the memories of Zachariah trying to sidle up to Sara, always trying to please her. "I'll look around, see if I can't find where they've put the room this time." Without another word, he vanished.

"Wait, that can be a physical place?" Sam asked.

"It usually is, but I imagine that security up there is tighter than ever, thanks to Kat managing to almost break me out of prison," Sara replied. Within minutes, Cas was back.

"Found it," he said. "It's well guarded, though. Getting to Adam will prove difficult."

"So, what should we do?" Sara asked.

"I can clear them out," Cas said.

"Then the three of us can break him out," Sara finished.

"Wait, three?" Sam asked.

"We need to bring Dean with us," Sara replied, looking toward the panic room.

"Why?"

"Because Dean is one of the best hunters you know," Sara answered. "Because Bobby can't help us, and because I'm not about to let Zachariah have his way, so we need to make him think that he is getting his way."

"Bad idea," Bobby said.

"I agree," Cas said, nodding.

"You have a better one?" Sara asked, looking between the two of them. Silence. "Sam?"

"I'm with Sara on this one," he said after a minute. "Dean is the best game in town, I think we should bring him." Sara nodded, and Sam went to go get his brother.

XXX

Cas and Sara teleported Sam and Dean to an abandoned warehouse in Van Nuys, California.

"Where's the beautiful room?" Dean asked as they walked towards the abandoned building.

"In there," Cas answered, pointing to the decrepit structure.

"The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?" Dean asked, sounding both amazed and disappointed.

"Where'd you think it was?" Sara asked.

"I don't know, Jupiter? A blade of grass? Not Van Nuys," Dean replied, looking around.

"Tell me again why you don't just grab Adam and shazam the hell out of there," Sam said.

"Because there are at least five angels in there," Sara replied.

"So? You two are fast," Dean pointed out.

"They're faster," Cas said, taking off his tie, and wrapping it around his hand. "I'll clear them out. You two grab the boy. This is our only chance."

"Woah, wait," Dean said, stopping him. "You're gonna take on five angels?"

"Yes," Cas replied.

"And you're going to let him?" Dean asked, turning to Sara.

"Yes," she replied.

"Isn't that suicide?"

"Maybe it is," Cas said, looking Dean square in the eyes. "But then I won't have to watch you fail. I'm sorry, Dean. I don't have the same faith in you that Sam does." The angel then turned to Sara and kissed her.

"Be careful," she said softly.

"You, too," he replied, just as softly. Sara nodded and vanished.

"Woah, where'd she go?" Dean asked.

"Far enough away to be safe," Cas replied, pulling a box cutter out of his jacket.

"What the hell are you gonna do with that?" Sam asked.

Not far away, Sara waited two minutes, as she and Cas had discussed. Sure enough, in two minutes, she felt a surge of power coming from the warehouse. As soon as the power wore down, she appeared.

"Where'd you go?" Sam asked.

"Far enough away that Cas' banishment sigil wouldn't affect me," she replied, drawing her blade. "Let's go." The three of them opened the door and walked in. In the middle of the empty room was what looked like an old office. A single slain angel lay on the ground, and there was no one else in sight. They cautiously walked to the office door and opened it. Adam was lying on the ground against the opposite wall, dried blood around his mouth.

"Adam, hey," Dean said, running to his side. "Hey."

"You came for me," Adam said weakly as Dean helped him up.

"Yeah, well, you're family," Dean said.

"Dean, it's a trap," Adam warned him.

"I figured," Dean said, shrugging a bit. Sure enough, Sara turned and saw the last angel in existence that she wanted to ever see again.

"Dean, please," Zachariah said. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" The smug smirk was back on his face, and he had an even more arrogant tone in his voice.

"Did you?" Dean replied. Sam ran out from his hiding spot and tried to stab Zachariah with an angel blade. Zachariah easily swatted it from his hands and threw him against an ornate dressing screen. He then turned Sarakiel.

"Archangel, good to see you out and about," he said. "You're looking well."

"And you're looking like the ass-kissing brown-noser that you've always been, Zachariah," Sara replied.

"Michael will be so pleased that you're back with us," Zachariah said, the sales smile still plastered on his face.

"Michael can go suck an egg," Sara spat. "I'm not with you, and I'm not with Lucifer. I'm with humanity, the people we are supposed to be serving." Zachariah just laughed and turned back to Dean. Sara wanted to kill him right then and there, but Dean insisted on her just being there in case things got hairy, or if Michael showed. So, she kept quiet.

"You know what I've learned from this experience, Dean?" Zachariah asked the older Winchester. "Patience." He waved his hand at Adam, who fell to the floor and began to cough up blood.

"Adam!" Dean cried. "Let him go, you son of a bitch."

"I mean," Zachariah continued, completely ignoring Dean's protests. "I thought I was downsized for sure. And for us, a firing…pretty damn literal. But, I should have trusted the boss man. It's all playing out like he said. You, me…your hemorrhaging brothers." Zachariah turned to Sam, who started coughing up blood as well. "If your wife was here, it'd be completely perfect, but…two out of three ain't bad." He turned back to Dean, his eyes going cold. "You finally ready?" Dean looked between Zachariah, Sam, and Adam, his face a picture of hopelessness. "You know there's no other choice. There's never been a choice."

"Stop it!" Dean finally said. "Stop it right now!"

"In exchange for what?" Zachariah challenged.

"Damn it, Zachariah," Dean said, defeated. "Stop it, please. I'll do it."

"I'm sorry," Zachariah laughed. "What was that?"

"Okay, yes!" Dean said forcefully. "The answer is yes."

"Dean!" Sam and Sara cried.

"Do you hear me?" Dean said, ignoring them. "Call Michael down, you bastard!"

"How do I know you're not lying?" Zachariah asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Do I look like I'm lying?" Dean fired back. Zachariah looked at him for a moment, then smiled and turned around.

"Zodiredo noco aberamage nazodpesade," he said.

"Damn you, Dean Winchester," Sara spat as Zachariah invoked Michael in Enochian. "At least when Michael comes down here, I'll get to kill you both." Dean looked between his brother and Sara and winked.

"He's coming," Zachariah said when he finished the invocation.

"Of course, I have a few conditions," Dean said loudly.

"What?"

"The few people whose safety you have to guarantee before I say yes," Dean continued.

"Sure, fine, make a list," Zachariah said dismissively.

"But most of all," Dean added, stepping forward slightly. "Michael can't have me until he disintegrates you." That made the seraph pause.

"What did you say?"

"I said," Dean said, stepping closer. "Before Michael gets one piece of this sweet ass, he has to turn you into a piece of charcoal."

"You really think Michael's gonna go for that?" Zachariah scoffed.

"What's more important to him now?" Dean challenged. "You, or me?" Sara drew her blade, ready to act.

"You listen to me," Zachariah snarled, getting up in Dean's face. "You are nothing but a maggot inside a worm's ass. Do you know who I am…after I deliver you to Michael?"

"Expendable," Dean said quietly. Sara watched as Zachariah's body language changed. He knew Dean was right, and so did Sara.

But, she wasn't going to let Michael get to him first.

"Michael's not gonna kill me," Zachariah scoffed, but he didn't sound so sure.

"Maybe not," Dean said.

"But I am," Sara whispered in his ear. She reached around and jabbed her blade up through his chin. As Dean watched her, he saw a complete change come over her.

The smile on her face was almost demonic. Her gray eyes flashed with a sick delight, and she left her blade in longer than necessary. When she finally pulled it out, she had a satisfied smirk on her face, and she even chuckled a bit as she did it. He swore that he even saw a flash of silver light in her eyes, not the normal blue of an angel. As she stood over Zachariah's body, his wings scorched into the walls and floors around him, she examined her blade, with blood still dripping from it.

"Pitiful," Dean heard Sara mutter. Suddenly, the room began to shake, and the familiar keening of an angel's voice began to fill the room. When Sara turned around, Dean saw that she was back. She wiped the blood off her blade with her jacket and went to Dean. "We need to go." Dean nodded and looked at Adam.

"Can you walk?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Adam grunted.

"Okay, come on," Dean called. He ran over to Sam and helped him up, and the four of them made for the door. Only Sam, Dean, and Sara made it out before it slammed shut.

"No!" Adam cried, pounding on the door. "Dean! Help! It won't open!" Dean ran over to the door and tried to open it but was burned when he touched the knob.

"Sara, get in there and get him!" Dean shouted.

"I can't!" Sara replied, shouting over Michael's voice. "Michael sealed the room! I can't get in!"

"Hold on!" Dean shouted at the door. "We'll get you out. Just hold on! Adam! Can you hear me?!" There was no response. As suddenly as it began, it ended. The light vanished, and there was silence. Dean gingerly touched the doorknob, and when he wasn't burned, he opened it. It was the abandoned office. Adam was gone.

XXX

Rather than taking off, Sara decided to ride with the boys in the Impala. She was too tired and worried about Cas to think straight, so she decided flying was a bad idea.

"You think Adam's okay?" Sam asked after a long silence.

"Doubt it," Dean said. "Cas either. But we'll get 'em."

"So," Sam began.

"So what?"

"I saw your eyes," the younger Winchester continued. "You were totally rockin' the 'yes' back there. What changed your mind?" Sara leaned forward, wanting to hear this answer, too.

"Honestly?" Dean replied. "The damndest thing. I mean, the world's ending. The walls are coming down on us, and I look over to you and all I can think about is, 'this stupid son of a bitch brought me here'. I just didn't want to let you down." Sara was floored. Sam stopped Dean from saying yes. She had love for her family, and love for her brothers. The only one she had even been remotely close to was Gabriel. But this…. this was true brotherly love.

"You didn't," Sam said. "You almost did, but you didn't."

"I owe both of you an apology," Dean said, glancing back at Sara.

"No, man," Sam said.

"Let him speak, Sam," Sara said, not taking her eyes off Dean.

"Just…let me say this," Dean said. "I don't know if it's being a big brother or what, but to me, you've always been this snot-nosed kid that I've had to keep on the straight and narrow. I think we both know that that's not you anymore. I mean, hell, if you're grown-up enough to find faith in me…the least I can do is return the favor. And Sara, you went along with Sam's plan, even though Cas didn't believe in me. You two are practically married, and you still took my side."

"I was ready to kill you, Dean," Sara pointed out.

"And if I would've said yes, you probably would have succeeded," Dean agreed. "But, you paid attention and you didn't. So, screw destiny, right in the face. I saw we take the fight to them and do it our way."

"Sounds good," Sam said.


	24. Mother Earth has her Day

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel, Kat, and in this case, this personification of Gaia. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 19: Hammer of the Gods

Sara had been unable to locate Castiel and had resorted to just waiting until he contacted her. She hated that, but it was all that she could do. For whatever reason, she couldn't even sense where he was. Perhaps that was for the best, because that meant Heaven couldn't find him either.

She was doing some late night exploring in the crystal caverns of Brazil when a familiar presence entered her consciousness in the form of a glowing green crystal. With a small sigh, Sara walked over to the crystal and put her hand on it.

"Hello, Sarakiel," a voice said. It sounded like an older woman and was tinged with a British accent.

"Hello, Gaia," Sara replied.

"Not with your other half?" Gaia asked.

"Which one?" Sara asked.

"Castiel, of course," Gaia replied. "I am well aware of the situation with Katherine, and I know that you're going to do your best to get her back. For now, I'm more concerned about you."

"I'm not sure where he is," Sara said. "He banished himself when we tried to get Adam back, but I have no idea where he was banished to. I can't even sense him."

"I'm sure that you're aware of what this means," the Goddess said.

"Yes," Sara muttered, still unwilling to say it.

"Well, I believe I can take your mind off of things, albeit temporarily," Gaia continued. "I've just learned that a cadre of pagan gods are gathering to decide what to do about your little Judaeo-Christian apocalypse…and they didn't even bother to invite me."

"The nerve," Sara replied, noting the smile in Gaia's voice.

"Indeed. So, I've decided to crash the party," Gaia said. "And for that…"

"You need your vessel," Sara said, finishing the sentence. "Odd for a pagan goddess to need a vessel."

"True, but I prefer it. Not sure why, I just do," she replied. "So, if I may?"

"Of course," Sara replied. The green light from the crystal began to flow up Sara's arm and into her mouth. Slowly, Sara began to move into the back of consciousness until she was completely out of Gaia's way.

XXX

Gaia opened her eyes and looked around. She rolled her neck a few times, rolled her shoulders, and felt some bones crack as she adjusted to being in a vessel for the first time in a while. She then looked at what she was wearing.

"Oh, this will not do," she said, raising an eyebrow at the canvas jacket. Gaia snapped her fingers, and her clothes became a modest, forest green dress. The skirt reached the middle of her calf and began at the waist. The bodice had a wide collar and no sleeves. Black kitten heels replaced the dirty sneakers, and her hair was tied up in an elegant bun at the base of her neck. She looked more like a 50s housewife than a goddess.

Are you serious? Sara asked, catching a glimpse from her cozy corner in their shared mind.

"What? I'm going to a party. I need to look my best," Gaia replied, patting her hair down. Sara sighed and retreated. Once Gaia was satisfied with her appearance, she snapped her fingers and vanished.

XXX

The Elysian Fields motel seemed almost too perfect, especially for a suspicious person like Sam Winchester. What really got him nervous was the appearance of a woman who looked a lot like his sister in law, except dressed like a 50s housewife going to a cocktail party. Perfect makeup, with bright red lipstick and delicate black eyeliner, a string of pearls around her neck, silk black gloves that went to the elbow, a calf-length, forest green, sleeveless silk dress with a wide collar, a matching black clutch purse and black kitten heels, and brown hair glossy and tied in an elegant bun at the base of her neck. The man at the front desk, Chad, was shocked to see her as well.

"Good evening, miss," he said, making a clear effort to keep his voice calm.

"Good evening," she replied, her English accent throwing Sam off. The Indian woman whom Dean had hit on before noticed her as well and became visibly uncomfortable. "I believe I have a reservation." Rapid typing followed that statement.

"Yes, madam, I believe you do," Chad replied, starting to sweat a little. A few moments later, he was handing her a room key.

"Thank you, my dear," the woman said, taking the key. As she passed the boys, Dean noticed her, too. She made eye contact with Sam and winked. Sam looked back at his brother, and the two of them got up to follow the woman.

She walked to room 111 and was opening the door when Sam and Dean caught up to her.

"Sara?" Sam asked. The woman turned and smiled, beckoning them in. Once in, she closed the door and turned around.

"Not quite, Samuel," she said. The British accent caught the Winchesters off guard.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean demanded. "What are you doing riding my wife?"

"Dean, please," she replied. "Your wife was destined for this from the moment she was born. Surely she told you that she was a vessel for more than one divine being." Dean looked like he was going to punch her, but Sam looked curious.

"No, she didn't say anything," Dean said.

"She didn't have a whole lot of time, what with the apocalypse and everything," Sam added.

"Yes, I suppose that's true," she said, shrugging. "Well then, proper introductions are in order." She held out her hand for them to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, boys. You may call me Gaia."

"Gaia?" Sam repeated, shaking her hand. "As in, the pagan goddess?"

"And the mother of your wife, Dean," Gaia replied as Dean shook her hand as well.

"Her mother? You mean, Kat is the daughter of a goddess?" Dean asked.

"Metaphorically, I'm her mother," Gaia replied. "In her faith, the Earth is mother of all. But, I had a little more input in her creation, so to speak."

"That's freakin' weird to think about," Dean muttered.

"Indeed."

"Well, it's been lovely meeting you, but that still doesn't explain why you're here," Sam said. She looked like she was about to answer, when there was a crashing sound a few doors down. The boys looked at each other and bolted from the room. Gaia took the opportunity to take a look around the hotel and see who was there.

She had noticed Mercury at the front desk...and he had noticed her. No doubt he informed the others that she was here. There were several humans among her peers, and she sadly knew why they were here.

The plethora of Gods surprised her. Aside from Mercury, she noticed Zao Shen, Tao god of the Kitchen; Ganesh, Hindu God of New Beginnings; From the Norse pantheon, Odin Allfather, king of Asgard, and Baldur, God of Light; Baron Samedi, Loa of the Dead in Haitian Vodou; She was the least surprised to see Kali there. Many called her the destroyer, but she was viewed by many Hindu followers as a mother and protector. She was here to fight to protect her children, which was also why Gaia had decided to crash.

"Quite the gathering here," Gaia said as she stepped up behind Kali, who looked ravishing in a sleeveless red blouse and black skirt. Kali started and turned around, her brown eyes meeting Gaia's gray ones.

"Gaia," Kali said, trying to compose herself. "Baldur didn't say you were coming."

"Then Baldur should have been stealthier about the invitations," Gaia quipped. "Decided the fate of the world without me? And here, I thought we had become more open minded over the millennia."

"I'm sure he meant to invite you, and just forgot," Kali replied. Gaia studied the Hindu goddess before her.

"The Gods don't forget, Kali," Gaia said, still studying her. Then, it clicked. "Do you have a thing going with Baldur?"

"Why is that any of your business?" Kali asked, going cool.

"And there's my answer," Gaia said. "I suppose I'll see you at the meeting?" Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away. As she walked back to her room, she caught sight of Mercury whizzing past her. Snapping her fingers, the messenger stopped dead.

"Ah, Gaia," Mercury said, sounding nervous. He had every reason to be. Gaia was mother Earth personified. She could cause every volcano to erupt at the same time, and calm the fiercest of hurricanes with a word. She was older than most of the Gods here, so taking care of a simple messenger was nothing. However, she had no need or desire to cause any problems right here. She had to find out why Sam and Dean were here. "What can I do for you?"

"Where's Baldur?" Gaia asked. Before he could answer, she caught sight of the vials of blood in his hands. "And what are those?"

"They are for Kali, and Baldur is in his room, preparing for the gathering," Mercury answered. Gaia narrowed her eyes, looking at him suspiciously. Mercury swallowed, failing to keep calm.

"I knew there was something between those two. Very well, thank you," she said. Another snap, and the messenger took off. She walked down the hall of rooms looking for Baldur when she ran into Dean.

"I just saw an elephant," Dean said when he saw her.

"An elephant?" Gaia asked, putting on her best poker face.

"Yeah, an elephant," Dean replied, still appearing to be shaken. Gaia silently cursed Ganesh for not being careful. Dean repeated the same thing to his brother when Sam arrived. The two took off to explore the hotel, which had gone eerily silent. Gaia headed to Kali's room, since she knew they were now an item. As she walked in, Mercury was handing the vials of blood to Kali, who looked at them intently.

"I should have known this was about the Winchesters" Gaia said, standing in the doorway. When Baldur saw her, he flinched slightly.

"Ah, Gaia," he said, as if he had been expecting her...though it was a complete farce. "So glad you could come."

"This is dangerous territory that you're treading, Baldur," Gaia warned. "Those boys are not yours to use."

"Well, they are bound to me, so they cannot leave," Kali said, putting the vials of blood on her dresser.

"And since all of our guests have finally arrived, we can begin," Baldur said.

"Will you be joining us for dinner, Gaia," Mercury asked. Gaia looked at him, her stomach turning at what dinner meant.

"I'll require a vegan option," she said. Mercury nodded and vanished. Baldur escorted the ladies to the ballroom, where other gods were waiting.

"Gaia!" Odin cried happily, walking over to her. Mercury stepped in to hand her a name tag and a glass of champagne before speeding off. "Baldur didn't tell us you were coming!"

"Baldur didn't say a lot of things," Gaia replied. She mingled for a few minutes, reconnecting with some other deities when the boys were shoved into the room.

"Something tells me this isn't a Shriner convention," she heard Dean say.

"Dinner is served!" Mercury called, wheeling in a cart piled with human remains. Gaia visibly gagged. Being the goddess of Earth, she held all of her children, animal and man, in highest regard, and avoided meat as often as she could. Because she knew that the others did not share her views, she had requested vegetables from Mercury, who obliged with a very well cooked risotto and wild mushroom tagliatelle.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, our guests of honor have arrived," Baldur announced. The Winchesters looked at Gaia, who looked both frustrated and worried.

XXX

Once everyone was seated, Baldur began the meeting.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. Although, in all my centuries, I never thought I'd see this. This many Gods under one roof."

"Gods?" Sam whispered.

"Now, before we get down to brass tacks, some ground rules: No slaughtering each other. Curb your wrath, and uh, keep your hands off the local virgins. We're trying to keep a low profile here."

"Oh, we are so...so screwed," Sam whispered again.

"Now, we all know why we're here. The Judaeo-Christian apocalypse looms over us. I know we've had our disagreements in the past. The time has come to put those aside and look toward the future. Because if we don't, we won't have one." All of the present Gods looked around, knowing that he was right. "Now, we do have two very valuable bargaining chips: Michael and Lucifer's vessels." Baldur pointed to Dean and Sam in turn. "The question is, what do we do now? Anybody have any bright ideas? Speak up. This is a safe room."

"What do we do?" Zao Shen said in Mandarin. "We kill them!"

"Kill 'em?" Ganesh laughed. "What, so the angels can bring them back again?"

"I don't know what everybody's getting so worked up about!" Odin said, loudly. "'Cause it's just a couple of angels having a slap fight! There's no Armageddon. Everybody knows when the world comes to an end, the great Serpent Jormungandr rises up, and I myself will be eaten by a big wolf!" He began to laugh, as the other pantheons began to roll their eyes, including Gaia.

"Here we go," Zao Shen said, sighing.

"Oh yeah?" Odin said, hearing the Tao God. "And why is that? Because your beliefs are so much more realistic? The whole world's getting carried around on the back of a giant turtle? Ha! Give be a break!"

"Don't mock my world turtle," Zao Shen snapped.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Odin challenged.

"I'm gonna send you packing to Valhalla!" Zao Shen replied. Gaia looked at Baldur, silently commanding him to get control of his father, though he made no move to do so.

"You watch your mouth when you talk to me, boy!" Odin shouted, standing.

"Boy? I'm older than you!" Zao Shen shouted back.

"No one's ever proved that!" By this time, Gaia noticed that Sam and Dean had gotten up and were trying to slip out the door. Unfortunately, Kali noticed, too. A chandelier came crashing down in front of them as she stood. It brought an effective silence that the old Earth goddess was happy for.

"Stay," she ordered. The Winchesters went back to their seats. "We have to fight," Kali continued. "The archangels – all they understand in violence. This ends in blood. There is no other way. It's them...or us."

That's all Michael understands, that's for sure, Sara said from inside of Gaia's vessel. Lucifer, though...I don't know. Just then, Mercury cleared his throat.

"With all due respect, ma'am," the messenger said, addressing Kali. "We haven't even tried talking to them." Even at that, both Gaia and Sara scoffed. Kali, on the other hand, just looked at him. Suddenly, Mercury began to cough up blood. After a few seconds, Baldur stepped in.

"Kali," he warned. Mercury suddenly took a gasp of air, his throat clearing.

"Who asked you?" the Hindu goddess asked him.

"You're all behaving like children," Gaia finally said, standing up. "This is the reason why so many of our followers have left us. All we do is fight amongst ourselves. The faster we start working together, the fast we can stop the apocalypse."

"You mean like you have with that poor excuse for a vessel?" Ganesh sneered. Gaia's eyes flashed as she looked at him.

"I've only done what the rest of you should be doing. Sarakiel and I have a very solid agreement, and we've left each other alone," Gaia replied.

"And where is the soul inside of that human? All I can sense is you and the archangel," Odin pointed out. "Oh wait, that's right...Lucifer has her. You should be on our side, not defending his sister."

"Sarakiel had her reasons for not saving Katherine, and I know that she is doing her best, as are Sam and Dean," Gaia replied, looking at the boys. "Why don't you bother keeping your own house in check, since I know what Thor's been up to for the last couple hundred years," she added, smirking at the Allfather. Suddenly, the doors slammed open.

"Can't we all just get along?" a familiar voice called. Everyone saw Gabriel walking through the doors. It was then Sara realized just how Gabriel had been hiding. He'd masqueraded as Loki all these years. Dean had apparently tried to call him by his real name, which prompted the archangel to silence both of them with a wave of his hands. "Sam! Dean!...It's always wrong place, worst time with you muttonheads, huh?"

"Loki," Baldur said, standing up.

"Baldur," Gabriel replied. "Good seeing you, too. I guess my invitation got lost in the mail."

"Don't feel bad, Loki. Mine did, as well," Gaia said. Gabriel looked at her, and the two shared a second of acknowledgment that they were both here for the same reason.

"Why are you here?" Baldur asked.

"To talk about the elephant in the room," Gabriel said. Ganesh started to stand up. "Not you," Gabriel said, causing the elephant God to sit down. "The apocalypse. We can't stop it, gang. But, first thing's first." He turned to the Winchesters. "The adults need to have a little conversation. Check you later." He snapped his fingers, and the brothers disappeared.

"The fact of the matter is that you can't beat those winged jerks," Gabriel continued, addressing the group. "The apocalypse is going off whether we like it or not. So, the best thing to do is...skip town."

"We can fight them," Kali insisted.

"Why don't we ask someone with first hand experience?" Gabriel asked, looking at Gaia.

"She'll tell the others what we're doing," Zao Shen said.

"Gaia?" Gabriel prompted.

"Sarakiel was locked up in Heaven. She escaped thanks to a remarkable child. Right now, if Michael knew where she was, she'd be dead. She also wants the apocalypse to be stopped as badly as we do. Loki is right. We should hear her out," Gaia said. The others looked around at each other, unsure. "Fine, I'll make the decision for you." She closed her eyes and called Sarakiel to come out.

XXX

Sara opened her eyes to the scene around her. She was surrounded by pagan gods, most of whom would want her dead. Her eyes, however, locked on to her brother who was playing dress up.

"So...Loki," Sara said, giving particular emphasis on the name she called her brother, who met her gaze evenly. "What is it you want me to say?"

"The truth about your winged monkeys that you call brothers," Gabriel said.

"Michael tried to kill me, Lucifer's an ass, and Raphael is the two of them combined," Sara rattled off, not taking her eyes off of Gabriel.

"What about Gabriel?" Kali asked. Sara looked at the Hindu goddess, and then back at Gabriel, who was keeping his cool.

"I don't know where he is," Sara replied, returning her gaze to Kali. "He skipped out of Heaven some time ago. Best guess? He's dead."

"And you feel no loyalty to them?" Baldur asked.

"They might be family, but they abandoned me centuries ago," Sara spat. "I have no loyalty to any of them." She then looked around, meeting the gaze of everyone in the room, except for Gabriel, who was avoiding it. "Satisfied?"

"For now. Now, I believe we should take a small break," Baldur said, nodding around. Sara shrank back into the subconscious of Kat's mind.

XXX

Gaia opened her eyes and looked around. Gabriel was gone, and everyone was milling about. Kali approached her.

"I still can't believe you're sharing a body with that arrogant Westerner," she said.

"Let's not forget that most of my children are arrogant Westerner's, Kali," Gaia pointed out. "But we were here before them, and we will be here long after they're gone."

"Then we must fight to make sure of it," Kali said, and walked off. Gaia sighed. Mothers are patient creatures, some with the patience of time itself, but Kali...Kali was a mother's wrath. Gaia still held the utmost respect for her, but she feared for her more than anything, and was worried about the decisions she was making. Meanwhile, she decided to try and find Sam and Dean...wherever Gabriel had stashed them. She wouldn't be able to get them out, but she could, at least, make sure that they were safe.

As Gabriel said, she found them in the wrong place at the worst time, trying to break the victims out of the freezer. One man had already been killed, but Dean and Sam were trying to release the rest of them. Zao Shen was ready to kill Sam before Gaia stepped in, forcing him off of the younger Winchester.

"If you kill them, the angels bring them back and we're all done for," she snapped at him. He snarled at her and made a swipe. With a grunt, she threw her hand out and shoved him away from Sam. Her eyes glowed green as she found some potatoes nearby, pouring life back into them and causing them to sprout. Many-branched roots flowed from the spuds and wound their way around the kitchen god and bound him.

"Enough!" Baldur shouted, causing everyone to freeze. "Gaia, please let Zao Shen go," he ordered. She made the roots give him one last squeeze before letting him go. Dean and Sam were seized again, and everyone reconvened in the grand ballroom.

XXX

Kali had Gabriel in a chair, and by the looks of her, she wasn't happy.

"How long have you known?" Gabriel asked. Great, the jig is up, Gaia and Sara thought at the same time.

"Long enough," Kali replied, her tone icy.

"How's the rescue going?" Dean said snidely.

"Well, surprise surprise," Kali said to the gathered Gods. "The Trickster has tricked us."

"Kali, don't," Gabriel warned her. It wasn't threatening or hostile. He seemed genuinely concerned for her.

"You're mine now," Kali spat, leaning over him. "And you have something I want." She reached into his jacket and pulled out a silver blade. "An Archangel's blade...from the Archangel, Gabriel."

"Okay, okay!" Gabriel said, after a few tense moments of silence. "So I got wings, like Kotex. But that doesn't make me any less right about Lucifer."

"He's lying," Kali said. "He's a spy." Then, the Hindu goddess rounded on Gaia. "And you knew who he was the whole time."

"As it would happen, I did not," Gaia replied. "Sara gave no indication as to whether or not this was Gabriel. Besides, he doesn't seem like much of a threat."

"We can't even trust our own kind," Kali spat.

"I'm not a spy, anyway," Gabriel cut in. "I'm a runaway. I'm trying to save you. I know my brother, Kali. He should scare the living crap out of you. You can't beat him. I've skipped ahead, seen how this story ends..."

"Your story," Kali cut him off. "Not ours. Westerners, I swear, the sheer arrogance. You think you're the only ones on Earth? You pillage and you butcher in your God's name. But you're not the only religion, and he's not the only God. And now, you think you can just rip the planet apart? You're wrong. There are billions of us, and we were here first. If anyone gets to end this world, it's me. I'm sorry." With that, she plunged the blade into Gabriel's stomach. There was a flash of light, a scream of pain, and he died. Gaia looked away.

I'm sorry, Sarakiel, Gaia said.

He didn't die, Sara replied.

What?

Look down, Sara said. Are his wings scorched into the ground? No? Then he's not dead. Sure enough, she was right. There were no wing-shaped scorch marks on the ground. The others, however, didn't seem to notice. Gabriel's foolish, but he's not stupid. He would never have let them get to his real blade.

"This is crazy," Mercury muttered.

"They can die," Kali said with some finality. "We can kill Lucifer."

"All right, you primitive screwheads, listen up!" Dean said suddenly.

"Are you outta your mind?" Sam whispered furiously.

"I'm outta options," Dean muttered to his brother before addressing the gathered Gods. "Now, on any other given day, I'd be doing my damnedest to, uh, kill you, you filthy, murdering chimps. But, hey, desperate times. So, even though I'd love nothing more than to slit your throats, you dicks, I'm gonna help you. I'm going to help you ice the devil, and then we can all get back to ganking each other like normal. You want Lucifer? Well, dude's not in the Yellow Pages. But me and Sam, we can get him here."

"How?" Kali demanded.

"First, you let those main courses go. Then, we talk." There was a shift of discontent among most of the Gods, Gaia excluded. "We can either take on the devil together, or you lame-ass bitches can eat me...literally."

XXX

Eventually, the Gods relented. Dean escorted all of the would-be victims out of the hotel, and to their cars, while Sam stayed inside with Gaia.

"So, you're going to summon Lucifer?" Kali asked Sam.

"Sort of," Sam said. "I just need you to squeegee some stuff from my ribs, and he'll come running."

"Breaking them would be easier," Kali said, stepping toward him. Gaia stepped in front of her.

"Kali, please," she said. "Enough. You're not a destroyer, you're a mother...just like me. We're all parents in one way or another. But, we need to be careful where we point our fury, or we may end up starting the apocalypse ourselves. I want to save my children just as you want to save yours. Please...let these boys help us do it." Kali eyed Gaia for a minute, but the Goddess held her ground. Just as Kali started to back away, Dean burst in.

"Show's over," he spat, furiously. "Sword's a fake, and Gabriel, he's still kicking. I hate to break it to you, sister, but you've been tricked." Gaia was about to reply when Sara started screaming in her head.

He's here! She kept repeating.

Are you sure? Gaia asked her.

Of course I'm sure! You think I don't know my brother when I sense him? Sara replied, panicked.

How did he find us? Gaia asked.

I notice your pal, Mercury, isn't here, Sara snapped. Just as she finished that sentence, the lights flickered.

"What's happening?" Baldur asked. He was answered by screams out in the hallway. One by one, they felt Gods dying.

"It's him," Sam said, shaking.

"How?" Kali asked.

"Mercury," Gaia said. "He sold us out."

"Shazzam us out of here, will you?" Dean commanded, looking at the three remaining Gods. All three tried, and failed.

"We can't," Baldur said.

"Of course you can't. You didn't say 'mother, may I'," a smooth voice said from the doorway. The five of them turned to see Lucifer standing there. "Sam, Dean, good to see you again. Sis, loving the new...oh wait...you're not my sister. She's in there though. Tell her I said hi, will ya?

"I'll do no such thing," Gaia snapped. Baldur started moving toward Lucifer.

"Baldur, don't!" Kali said.

"You think you own the planet?" Baldur asked Lucifer, ignoring Kali's plea. "What gives you the right?" Lucifer answered him by shoving his hand through Baldur's body.

"No one gives us the right," Lucifer said quietly. "We take it." As he threw Baldur's body to the ground, Kali's arms became engulfed in flames. With a grunt, she threw a stream of flame from her arm at the fallen angel. Sam and Dean jumped for cover, Sam grabbing Gaia with him. There was the sound of a punch, signaling Kali's fall to the ground.

"You okay?" Sam asked his brother.

"Not really," a voice said to their left. Gabriel appeared out of nowhere. "Better late than never, huh?" He shoved a DVD on to Dean's chest. "Guard this with your life," he ordered, and ran off. There was a pause, and then a clear sound of Lucifer being thrown against the wall. "Lucy, I'm home," Gabriel said. The three of them peeked over their cover and saw Gabriel standing over Kali, blade drawn, facing his brother. Lucifer advanced on him, but Gabriel held up his real blade in defense. "Not this time." He helped Kali to her feet. "Guys! Get her outta here!" Dean, Sam, and Gaia all escorted Kali out of the hotel.

"I'm not getting in that thing," Kali said when she saw Baby.

"Just get in the car, Princess," Dean spat. Reluctantly, Kali got in the door that Sam opened for her, and Gaia did the same on the opposite side. Dean and Sam hopped in the front and pealed out of the hotel parking lot.

As they drove away, Gaia started having a fight with Sarakiel.

"Sara, please," she said out loud. There was a pause. "No, it wasn't my choice to leave. Sarakiel, they are not ready to face someone like Lucifer. Yes, I understand he's your brother...Sara...Sara, stop...Sar...AAAAHHHH!" With a scream, and a burst of bright green light, Gaia was exorcised from Kat's body, leaving only Sarakiel.

XXX

"YOU LEFT HIM THERE?!" was the first thing out of Sara's mouth when she regained control.

"Sara, he told us to get out of there," Sam said, turning around in his seat to look at her.

"And you should have had me stay! He's not strong enough to face Lucifer!" Sara snarled.

"And you are?" Kali asked, wryly.

"Shut it, you four-armed bitch," the archangel spat. "You're not much better than Gabriel." She snapped her fingers and got herself back into comfortable attire, and with a rush of wings, vanished.

"Son of a bitch," Dean cursed.

"Hmm," Kali said, still looking at the empty spot where Sara had been a moment ago. "I like her. She's feisty." Dean and Sam looked at each other, and both hoped that Sara knew what she was doing.

XXX

Sara was forced to land outside of the hotel. Just as she put her hand on the door, there was a scream of pain, and a flash of blinding white light. Sara's stomach dropped.

"No," she whispered. She yanked open the door and ran to the ballroom, blade in hand.

Gabriel lay on the ground, motionless. The scorched remains of his magnificent wings covered the floor and overturned furniture. Lucifer was standing over him. When he heard his sister come in, he turned. His heart dropped at the expression of fear and sorrow on her face. Not taking her eyes off of her brother's body, Sara began to walk toward it.

"Sara," Lucifer said, walking toward her. Sara flung out her hand and threw Lucifer against the far wall without so much as looking at him. When she reached Gabriel's body, her angel blade vanished and she fell to her knees, tears beginning to flow.

"Gabriel," she whispered, putting a hand on his chest. "Why did you have to be such an idiot?" Her voice cracked as she leaned forward, lay on his chest, and started to cry. Lucifer got up and looked at his sister. He remember that she and Gabriel were close, and guessed that Gabriel had been the only one to comfort her when he was cast down from Heaven.

"Sara, he gave me no choice," he said, moving toward her. "He was going to kill me." Like a flash, Sara was standing up, blade pointed at him.

"You don't get to defend yourself to me, Lucifer," she said, her voice low. All Lucifer could do was stay away from the deadly blade, putting his hands up. Her gray eyes were red from weeping, and her face was already tear-stained and dirty. "You don't get to say a fucking word!"

"Sara, please," Lucifer tried again. Next thing he knew, he was against the wall, Sara's blade at his throat, her arm pinning him across his chest.

"Dad was right," she whispered. "He was right all along about you. But Michael's no better." They stared at each other for a few moments, tears still streaming down Sara's face. Instead of sorrow in her eyes, there was anger. The fury of an Archangel was something that Lucifer knew all too well, but he didn't expect to see it in her eyes.

"Run." The word caught him off guard.

"What?" he asked.

"Run, Lucifer," Sara repeated herself, backing away, but not lowering her blade. "Run away...as far away from me as you can get. Because the next time I see you, I will kill you." The command stung Lucifer more than he ever would admit. He had hoped that Sara would take his side, but after what he had done to her vessel, he should have known better.

"Crowley," he said.

"What did you say?"

"The demon who has your vessel's soul," Lucifer explained. "His name is Crowley." Sara examined her brother.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"I can't try for a little forgiveness?" Lucifer countered, and was gone. Sara slowly lowered her blade when she was confident he was gone. She put her blade away and turned back to Gabriel's lifeless body. With a sigh, she held out her hand and blasted the vessel into a million atoms. Like hunters, an angel's vessel had to be completely destroyed when it died, lest the demons get a hold of it. She then picked up Gabriel's blade and tucked it safely away. There was another sound of flapping wings, and Sara was gone.


	25. Know When to Fold 'Em

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains action and dialogue from Season 5, Episode 20: The Devil You Know.

Tracking down Crowley was proving to be difficult, even for Sarakiel. She had gone through dozens of demons, and none of them knew where the crossroads king was, but they were just as keen to find him. Seems word had gotten out that he had given the Colt to Sam and Dean, and it was now common knowledge that he wanted Lucifer dead. In an effort to facilitate her search, she put in a call to the Winchesters.

"Hey guys," she said as she pulled her blade from a dead demon.

"Sara, where the hell have you been?" Dean asked. She could hear the roar of Baby's engine.

"Sara?" she heard Sam say from next to Dean. There was a shuffle, and she could tell that she was on speakerphone.

"Where are you?" Dean asked.

"Sarasota Springs," she replied. "I'm hunting for Crowley."

"Crowley? Why?" Sam asked.

"Because he has Kat's soul," Sara said. There was silence on the other end. She knew she struck a nerve and that Dean was probably fired up right about now. "Listen, you guys call me if you find him, okay?"

"Sure," Sam said. "Hey, are you okay? We know what happened to Gabriel."

"That's what the hunting is for," Sara replied. "I'm trying not to let it hit me too bad. There's work to do."

"Don't run from it forever," Dean advised.

"Yeah, that crap'll eat you up from the inside out," Sam added.

"I know, guys. It's just...He wouldn't want me getting all sappy over him, you know?" All three of them knew that this was true. But, there was more that the boys wanted to ask, and she knew it. "And before you ask, no, I don't know where Cas is. I'm worried about him, too, but right now, we have bigger problems."

"Alright. We'll call you if we hear from Crowley," Dean said, though he didn't sound too convinced that Sara was okay. Then, there was a beep. "Bobby's calling. Hang on." There were a few more beeps, and a click signaled the beginning of a three-way call. "Hey Bobby, Sara's on the phone with us."

"'Bout time you showed up, feathers," Bobby said, his tone gruff, but kind. "I'm sorry to hear about your brother."

"Thanks Bobby," Sara said. "Anyway, what's new?"

"Let me guess, another steamin' pile of swine flu," Bobby asked the boys.

"Yep," Dean said.

"It doesn't make any sense, Bobby," Sam said. "Pestilence touched down here. I'm sure of it."

"Wait, you two are going after Pestilence?" Sara asked, horrified. Sam quickly laid down what Gabriel had told them through a Casa Erotica DVD he had given them before he died. "That stupid son of a bitch."

"But why is he dealing them soft serve like swine flue when he's got the croatoan virus up his sleeve? I don't get it," Dean said, moving the conversation along.

"Doesn't matter what that sick son of a bitch is doing," Bobby said. "What matters is this is the fourth town he's hit...that we know of...and we're still eating his dust. Did you get anything? We got even a snowball at probable next target?"

"Uh, no pattern we can see," Sam replied over the crackling of a map.

"Okay," Bobby sighed. "Hold on." There was a pause, coupled with a small grunt of effort. "Well, far as I can tell, he's still heading East, so...head East, I guess."

"East?" Sam and Dean asked together.

"Bobby, we're in West Nevada," Dean pointed out. "East is practically all there is."

"Yeah, well, you better get to drivin'," Bobby answered.

"Say...I've got an idea," a British tinged voice said in the background. There was a squeal of brakes and the line disconnected. Sara's heart skipped a beat and her stomach dropped. That was Crowley. She was sure of it. She tried to call the boys back, but they didn't answer. Seconds after her third call, Sam answered with a text giving her a highway and mile marker.

XXX

"IN THE ROAD, TALKING TO SAM AND DEAN WINCHESTER, UNDER A FRIGGING SPOTLIGHT!" Crowley was shouting before taking out the street light above him. Seconds later, with a rush of wings and wind, he was on the ground, with Sara on top of him, angel blade at his throat.

"Now you're on the ground, underneath an archangel, who will kill you if she doesn't get what she wants," Sara snarled.

"Sarakiel," Crowley choked out. "Nice to finally meet you in person. Your reputation precedes you."

"Then you know that I'm serious," she replied. "You have something of mine, and I want it back."

"I don't know what you're – AH!" Crowley began, crying out as Sara cut him with her blade. It was just a nick, but because it was a holy weapon on a demon, it had quite the sting.

"Katherine Winchester's soul," she spat. "I want Katherine Winchester's soul back!"

"You could've asked nicely," Crowley grunted. "Would you call your dog off, please? I'm here to offer my help...seriously." There was silence before Sam finally walked over and put a hand on Sara's shoulder.

"Sara, let him up," he said. Sara whipped her head around and looked at him. After a few moments, she pushed off his chest and stood up.

"I'm sure we can work something out," Crowley muttered as he stood up, brushing himself off.

"Yes, we can," Sara replied, her voice still dangerously low. "You give me the soul back, and I won't tell every demon I see where you are."

"But you don't know where I am," Crowley pointed out.

"But Sam and Dean will, and all it takes is one track of the GPS on their phones, and I'll know everything," Sara replied, pointing to Sam's phone, which was still in his hands. Crowley looked between the boys, who were both completely stoic-faced. When he realized that neither of them were bluffing, he conceded.

"Fine, I'll give you her soul back," he said. "But, let's do this somewhere more private, hmm?" Neither the angel, nor the two hunters moved. "Come with me, please. Do you want the horseman rings or not?" Sam and Dean looked surprised at his last question. "Yes, I know all about that."

XXX

Crowley took them to a run-down, abandoned house not far from where they stopped.

"Here we are...my life on the lam," he said. Sara remembered seeing Crowley's gorgeous mansion in Kat's memories. She also knew that Crowley controlled every crossroads demon in Hell, especially with Lilith gone. "How the mighty have fallen," he continued, lamenting. "Single-pane glass, used contraception in the fireplace." He pointed at said fireplace and it ignited into a cozy fire. "The water damage alone -"

"My heart's bleeding for you," Dean said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "Now, how do you know about the rings?"

"Well now...I've been keeping a close eye on you lot," Crowley replied.

"We've got hex bags," Sam pointed out. "We're hidden from demons."

"All but one," Crowley replied, sounding very pleased with himself. "That night, you broke into my house, our first date, my valet hid a tracking device in your car; a magical coin that easily trumps your little bags of bones. It allows me to hear things, too...and my, the things I've heard," he chuckled. "So, you want to cram the devil back in the box? Cunning scheme. I want in."

"You said you could get us Pestilence," Dean said.

"Well now, I don't know where pestilence is, per se," Crowley began. Sara was ready to pounce on him right there, but he continued. "But, I do know the demon who does. He's what you might call the horseman's stable boy. He handles their itineraries, their personal needs. He's who you want – believe me. He'll tell us where Sneezy's at."

"Well, how do we get him to spill?" Dean asked. "Rip out his toenails?"

"No," Crowley replied. "Nuts at his pay grade don't crack. We bring him here, then I sell him."

"Sell him?" Sam asked.

"Please," Crowley grinned. "I've sold sin to saints for centuries. Think I can't close one little demon?"

"We get this demon, you crack him, we get the horseman and Kat's soul back," Sara said.

"This puts me a little short on returns," Crowley crooned.

"In exchange, I won't put my own tracking device on you and tell every demon I meet where you are," Sara countered, holding up her blade and giving it a wiggle.

"I can heal that," Crowley pointed out.

"Not if I carve it on to your true form," Sara replied with an evil grin. Crowley's eyes got wider. Both demon and angel knew that she wasn't bluffing. Because both of them were supernatural beings, it was completely plausible for Sara to carve something on his true form with a holy weapon and it stay there. They had a staring match for a few minutes before he finally caved.

"We get this demon, you get Kat's soul and Pestilence, and I get your guaranteed silence," Crowley said.

"That's the only deal we're making here," Sara said.

XXX

"Why are we even listening to him?" Sam asked Sara and Dean. "This is totally insane."

"I don't disagree," Dean said.

"One big happy family, are we, then?" Crowley asked. "Fantastic."

"You ready to go?" Dean asked him.

"Yes, yes, I am. Sam, keep the home fires burning," Crowley replied, beginning to head for the door.

"What are you talking about?" Dean demanded.

"Sam's not coming," Crowley said.

"And why the hell not?" Sam asked.

"Because I don't like you," Crowley listed. "I don't trust you...and oh yes, you keep trying to kill me."

"So do I, and you want me to come along," Sara pointed out.

"You, I can't do much about. I know how to pick my battles," Crowley said. "Him, I can say something about because I know I have a chance. Besides, having backup of a holy nature will help with this demon and his entourage."

"There's no damn way," Sam protested. "This isn't gonna happen!"

"I'm not asking you, am I?" Crowley fired back. "'Cause you're not invited. I'm asking you," he pointed at Dean. "What's it gonna be?" Dean didn't answer right away. "Gentlemen, Lady, enjoy your last few sunsets." With that, he began to walk for the door again.

"Wait!" Dean called, making Crowley stop. Dean turned to his brother. "What can I say? I believe the guy." Sam and Sara watched the other two walk out of the shack. Sara put a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"I'll keep an eye on both of them," she promised him, and followed Dean and Crowley to the impala.

XXX

The demon they were looking for was at a company called Niveus Pharmaceutical. Based on some research done by Sara, they were supposedly working on an excellent vaccine for the latest outbreak of swine flu. According to Crowley, however, it was a cover to distribute the Croatoan virus. They pulled up outside the building and took a look inside. Two security guards were at the front door.

"Demons?" Dean asked, observing through binoculars.

"Nah," Crowley replied. "Human shields. The demons are up top – 12th floor."

"All right, then," Dean said, putting the binoculars down. "We'll have to find a way in through the back."

"You Winchesters make everything so complicated," Crowley scoffed, and he disappeared.

"Crap," Sara said. With all the demons in the area, it was hard to pick out just one. Suddenly, he appeared behind the two security guards, and slit their throats.

"Crap! Crap!" Dean exclaimed, jumping out of the car. Sara vanished from the car and appeared inside. She knelt down and thought she could save them, but she was only seconds too late. Dean began pounding on the door.

"Door's open!" Crowley called. Dean stormed in, furious. "What?"

"You killed them?" Dean snarled.

"We're on a tight schedule," Crowley protested.

"Hope you can fight, because I owe you a demon for each human you kill tonight," Sara told him.

"Oh now you two are squeamish?" the demon taunted. "Please." They got into an elevator to go to the 12th floor, but Crowley stayed behind. "Got get 'em, tiger."

"You're not coming?" Dean asked, confused.

"Oh no, it's not safe up there," Crowley replied. "There's demons."

"Yeah, I get that," Dean scoffed.

"Look, just do what I told you," Crowley instructed. "And try to be convincing. It'll work like a charm. Trust me." As the doors started to close, Crowley put his hand in. "Angel face shouldn't go, either."

"Now come on," Dean said.

"No, Dean, he's right," Sara reluctantly said. "It'll look even worse if I'm here. Call me if you need me." She walked out of the elevator and stood by Crowley. Once the doors were closed, Sara rounded on the demon. "If you get him killed," she began.

"I know, I know, you'll kill me," Crowley drawled.

"Oh no, that would be far too easy," Sara replied. "I may be an angel, but don't think we're all mercy and forgiveness. As Dean would put it, you'll be my little bitch." Crowley studied her for a few moments, and then grinned.

"In another life, you probably would have made a fantastic demon," he said. "I mean that as a compliment."

"I choose to take it as an insult," Sara replied.

"Have it your way," he shrugged. They were silent for a few moments, then Crowley rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. "Time to go," he said, and vanished. Seconds later, Sara heard Dean praying for her, and she vanished right with him.

XXX

Both Crowley and Sara arrived in time to see Brady beating the shit out of Dean. Crowley sneaked behind him and shoved a sack over her head with a devil's trap on it, then hit him on the head with a crowbar. Sara went straight to Dean to check him over. It was nothing serious, so she touched him up, and then the two rounded on Crowley.

"What the hell was that?" Dean spat.

"That was perfect," Crowley replied.

"Perfect? He didn't want the rings, he wanted me!" Dean exclaimed.

"Imagine the surprise on your face," Crowley said, grinning.

"What?" Sara asked, growing angrier with every word out of the demon's mouth.

"Your ignorance and misinformation – I mean, completely authentic. You can't fake that," Crowley answered. "What?" he asked, seeming confused. "It went like clockwork!"

"Not for me, you son of a bitch!" Dean snarled.

"That's what you get, working with a demon," Crowley said, shrugging.

"I owe you five more for this, Crowley," Sara said.

They got the guy back to the car, and Crowley started carving a sigil into the demon's body.

"Hey, hot stuff, watch the upholstery!" Dean cried.

"Up yours, mate," Crowley snapped. "This bit of carving will tie our friend here down. No zapping off, no smoking out – Locked in the meat suit. An important piece of our bargaining strategy." Once he was done, he focused on the windshield. "Now, up here, we don't want to take I-50. Take 93 north."

"What are you talking about?" Sara asked.

"Look, we can't take this guy back to your brother," Crowley explained.

"Why the hell not?" Dean asked. When Crowley didn't answer, he pressed. "Crowley?"

"They got history, all right?" Crowley answered. Dean slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a halt. The angel and the hunter rounded on the demon.

"You want to go anywhere, you start talking," Dean said. "What history?"

The more that Crowley explained, the lower Dean's stomach dropped, and the faster Sara's heart beat. This demon was inhabiting a college buddy of Sam's, named Brady. This demon was also the one that carried out Azazel's hit on Sam's girlfriend, Jess, and even introduced them. If they brought him to Sam, Sam would probably want to kill him. But, Dean insisted, so back to Crowley's safe house they went. Crowley went to intercept Sam while Sara and Dean tied Brady to a chair at the center of a devil's trap. The bag was still on his head, but Sara put her own special warding on him, adding an extra level of protection for them.

"Sam," Dean said when he walked in.

"What's going on, Dean," Sam asked, looking at the hooded demon in the trap.

"I need you to stay on the mission, okay?" Dean said. "Focused."

"I don't understand. What's this all about?" Sam asked again.

"I'm doing this 'cause I trust you," Dean said.

"Trust me to what?"

"Sam?" Brady called. "Sam, is that you?" Dean took a deep breath and pulled the hood off. Sam's brown eyes became the size of dinner plates.

"Brady?"

"Brady hasn't been Brady in years," Brady chuckled. "Not since...oh...middle of our sophomore year?"

"What?" Sam sounded angry and confused.

"That's right," Brady taunted. "You had a devil on your shoulder even back then. All right, now, let it all sink in." Sam started fuming.

"You son of a bitch," Sam snarled. "You son of a bitch!" He lunged for Brady, but Sara and Dean held him back. "You introduced me to Jess!"

"Ding ding! I think he's got it!" Brady laughed.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Sam shouted. Dean pushed Sam out of the room to calm him down while Brady laughed. While Dean calmed his brother down, Sara rounded on Brady.

"I'm glad you think this is funny," she said, drawing her angel blade.

"You really think you're gonna kill me?" Brady laughed.

"Oh no, little boy," Sara grinned. She pressed the point of her blade to his arm and gave it a flick. It left a painful, though thin cut on his arm. "See, killing you is far to easy, for both you and for my brother there. You, little one, are gonna be my bitch. If you don't give us what we want when we ask, I'll tear it out of your ass." She flicked him again with her blade. "And you and me? We literally have eternity. I can deal with whatever your little buddies try to dish out, and give it back to them tenfold. So, if you want to sit here and starve yourself, that's fine, because I don't need to eat. And as long as I'm in my vessel, she'll be fine, too." Flick. Each flick, Brady's cries of pain got louder.

"Burn in hell, bitch," Brady snarled.

"You first," Sara sneered. This time, she used the edge of her blade. He screamed. Dean ran in and saw her standing behind him. Once again, the sadistic grin was on her face, and her eyes were glowing silver, the same as she was when she killed Zachariah.

"Sara!" he called. Instantly, the silver disappeared and the grin vanished. She looked down at Brady, then at the blade in her hand, and she stormed out of the room, brushing past Dean.

"What the hell have you been doing?" Dean called after her, but she didn't answer. He followed her into the bathroom, where she was splashing water on her face. "Sara, what the hell was that?" he asked again. She turned and looked at him. Her eyes were alight with sorrow and confusion, mixed with a healthy dose of fear. Sara opened her mouth to answer, but the sudden slamming of the door, followed by a wriggling of the doorknob. Dean went to the door and banged on the door. "Sam? Come on, Sam! Don't do this!" He banged on the door again. "Sam, come on! Hey! Open the Door! OPEN THE DOOR!" Sara went to push against it, but she stopped.

"He's warded it as well," she said, the sigil shining.

"Can you still zap us out of here?" Dean asked.

"No," Sara answered. "Crowley has warded this place quite well."

"So you can't zap out at all?"

"No."

"Good." He rounded on her and pushed her against the wall. "What the hell was that back there? What's been with you lately?" Sara didn't even bother to fight. She knew that this had been coming, and felt it better for Dean to get it out.

"I don't know," Sara replied. "All I know is that I haven't been myself lately. I've been taking more and more joy in things that I shouldn't, and I've noticed, believe me." Her lack of fighting to push Dean off caught the hunter off guard, and he backed up a bit. "It's gotten worse since we lost Kat, and I can't help but wonder if it was her that was keeping me in check. I'm going to get her from Crowley, and everything will be better."

"Sara, are you sure? Because you were...pretty nasty in there," Dean asked.

"It has to work, Dean. If not...," Sara began, but she couldn't finish the sentence. She wrapped her arms around herself and slid down the wall. Dean's instant reaction was to hold her, comfort her, kiss her and tell her that everything was okay. What stopped him was the little voice that reminded him that it wasn't his wife...it was the angel using her body.

The handle of the door jiggled again. When they heard that, Sara jumped up and Dean banged on the door again.

"Hey, hey, hey," Sam's voice said through the door. "All right! Wait! I'm gonna open it." When he did, Dean looked worried and pissed at the same time, and Sara just looked worried.

"What happened?" Dean demanded of his brother.

"Nothing," Sam replied.

"My ass," Dean scoffed.

"Dean, I'm fine," Sam insisted.

"Yeah? And what about Brady?" Dean challenged.

"Like you said," Sam sighed. "We need him." They all looked in the room and saw Brady, a little worse for wear, but alive.

"God, the day I've had," Crowley said, appearing in the room. "Good news," he said to Brady. "You're going to live forever."

"What did you do?" Brady asked.

"Went over to a demons' nest," Crowley explained. "Had a little massacre. Must be losing my touch, though...Let one of the little toads live. Oops," he looked over at the Winchesters and Sara, and shrugged. "Also might have given said toad the impression that you left your post last night because you and I are...wait for it...lovers in the league against Satan." He chuckled at his own metaphor. Brady just sighed. "Hello, darling," Crowley continued. "So, now Death is off the table. Now, you get to be on the boss' eternal-torment list with little old me."

"Oh, no no no no," Brady muttered, getting scared.

"Something else we have in common," Crowley said. "Apart from our torrid passion, of course. Craven self-preservation. So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?" Just then, a howl pierced the night. Everyone in the room looked up and around, hearts leaping to throats.

"Oh god, Crowley," Brady said.

"Was that a hellhound?" Dean asked.

"I'd say yeah," Crowley replied.

"Why was that a hellhound?" Sara asked. Crowley put his hand in his pocket and groaned.

"What's that?" Sam asked, nodding to Crowley's pocketed hand.

"Remember I was telling you about my crafty little tracking device?" Crowley asked. All three nodded. "Demons planted one on me." He held up the little coin from his pocket.

"You're saying a hellhound followed you here?" Sam said.

"Well, technically, he followed this," Crowley answered.

"Get me out of here and I'll tell you anything you want," Brady said, frantically.

"Shut up," Sam snapped.

"Okay, well, then we should go," Dean said.

"Sorry, boys," Crowley said. "No one knows more about the hounds than I. You're long past the point of 'go'." He tossed the coin to Dean and vanished.

"Damn it," Dean cursed.

"I told you!" Sam snapped.

"Oh, well, good for you," Dean mocked. "Luckily, we have salt in the kitchen." He walked out to get salt.

"We'll watch Brady," Sam said, looking at the demon.

"Watch me?" Brady scoffed. "Get me the hell out of here!" Sara drew her blade and looked at the door. Seconds later, they heard a crash followed by shotgun fire. Dean backed into the room, firing at the hellhound that was in the hallway. Sara moved next to him and stared the beast down. She had only seen a hellhound once or twice before, and the sight never failed to disgust her.

"Salt?" Sam asked. Dean just shook his head and backed up into the room.

"Damn it, get me out of here!" Brady shouted.

"Shut up!" Sara, Sam, and Dean all shouted back at him.

"Great, just great," Brady moaned as the hellhound came into view. Suddenly, there was another bark, followed by a familiar voice.

"Hey!" Crowley was standing in the room opposite them. The hellhound turned to face the voice, and Sara was surprised to see another hellhound.

"You're back?" Dean asked, shocked.

"I'm invested...for now," he said. The other hellhound started barking. "Stay!" Crowley ordered.

"You can control them?"

"Not that one," Crowley replied, pointing at the one hunting them. He then started patting the one by him. "I brought my own. Mine's bigger." He grinned, then turned to his dog. "Sic 'im, boy!" Crowley's hellhound launched itself at the smaller hellhound and the two started to fight. Sam took the chance to scratch the devil's trap on the floor open while Sara slashed Brady's bindings. The four of them rushed out of the house and out to Baby, where Crowley was waiting. "I'll wager $1,000 my pup wins," he said with a laugh. They all drove away to the sound of the hellhounds destroying the inside of the house.

XXX

They pulled off in an abandoned alley, where Brady handed over a piece of paper to Crowley.

"Yeah, I'm sure pestilence will be there. Thanks," Brady said, grudgingly.

"What do you think?" Dean asked Crowley.

"It's good," Crowley said, reading the paper. "You got no reason to lie, have you? Like I said before, you're in my boat now."

"You've screwed me," Brady snapped. "For eternity."

"Nah," Crowley grinned. "Won't last that long. Trust me." Crowley walked toward Dean and Sara, but Sam stayed behind, still staring at Brady.

"Where are you going?" Brady asked. Dean leaned down and started pouring a salt line behind Sam.

"I'm going to do you a favor," Crowley said. "I expect we'll be in touch," he added to Sam.

"What is this?" Brady asked, getting visibly nervous.

"All those angels, all those demons, all those sons of bitches...They just don't get it, do they, Sammy?" Dean said.

"No, they don't, Dean," Sam agreed.

"You see, Brady," Dean explained, allowing Crowley to pass the salt line before closing it behind him. "We're the ones you should be afraid of." Brady scoffed as Sam approached him, holding Ruby's knife.

"I bet this is a real moment for you, big boy," Brady taunted. "Gonna make you feel all better?"

"It's a start," Sam answered, curtly.

"Gonna make up for all the times that we yanked your chain -Yellow eyes, Ruby, me? But it wasn't all our fault, was it? No, no, no, no. You're the one who trusted us. You're the one who let us into your life, let us whisper in your ear over and over and over again. Ever wonder why that is, Sammy? Ever wonder why we were so in your blind spot? Maybe it's because we got the same stuff in our veins and, deep down, you know you're just like us." Brady lunged at Sam, who easily nicked him with the blade. Brady screamed in pain. "Maybe you hate us so much because you hate what you see every time you look in the mirror," he panted. "You ever think of that? Maybe the only difference between you and a demon...is your hell is right here." He began to laugh, but the laughter was cut off by Sam stabbing him the stomach.

"Interesting theory," Sam said.

XXX

Crowley tried to run off...but Sara already had his number, and cornered him not far away.

"We had a deal, Crowley," she snarled, drawing her blade.

"Yes," he mused. "Katherine Winchester's soul for your silence. Thing is...I think we should renegotiate the terms of that deal." Sara's eyes began to glow blue as she bared her teeth with a snarl.

"Do I need to remind you who you're dealing with, demon?" she said, her voice laced with the power in her Grace.

"An archangel on the run," Crowley replied, trying not to be visibly phased by the threat before him. "I could tip off the next angel I see to your whereabouts as well."

"Any angel would kill you on sight," Sara said, though the glow in her eyes faded a bit.

"But you're the much bigger catch. Wonder who would please Michael more?" Crowley muttered. The glow faded completely as Sara realized he was right. "But, I'm not completely without mercy. Tell you what: I'll keep your dear vessel's soul safe and sound, out of prying hands AND I'll keep quiet about where you are. In return, you keep quiet about me and agree to one favor to be called in at any time."

"Indebted to you? Ridiculous," Sara spat. Crowley shrugged and pulled out a vial that contained a glowing soul. Sara immediately knew that it was Kat. Seeing the look on Sara's face, Crowley began to unstopper the vial. "NO!" Sara cried, reaching for it. Crowley grinned as Sara sighed, both of them realizing her mistake. "You'll keep her completely safe?"

"If I don't, you can tell every demon you see," Crowley said, putting the vial back in his pocket. Sara stowed her blade and approached Crowley. "I assume you know how this works."

"Just get it over with," Sara said. Crowley smiled and pulled her into a hard kiss. It was all Sara could do to not stab him where he stood.

She had just made a deal with a demon. There was no turning back now.


	26. Four Rings from the Horseman

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains action and dialogue from Season 5 Episode 21: Two Minutes to Midnight.

Making the deal with Crowley was the straw that broke the camels back for Sarakiel. As soon as Crowley left, the emotions of the past few weeks came crashing down on her like a tsunami. She flew to Muhu, a sparsely populated island in the Baltic Sea near Estonia, and she allowed her emotions to flow.

She wept for the loss of her brother.

She wept for the loss of her friend.

She wept for her lover, and how much she missed him.

She wept for the lengths she had to go to in order to get her friend back.

And she wept for what she was turning in to.

Sara had never felt like this before. She had taken some satisfaction in taking down the enemies of God and Heaven, but never in torturing them, and NEVER killing another angel, even one as crooked as Zachariah. Michael and Raphael could be cruel, but she didn't think that they took any type of satisfaction in the torture that they did, not on the level she had enjoyed torturing Brady.

Out of nowhere, her cell phone rang. The area code on the screen was not one that she recognized, but caller ID said Delacroix, Louisiana. Hesitant, she answered.

"Hello?"

"Sara?" Sara felt her heart leap to her throat as she took a huge sigh at the voice on the other end of the line.

"Castiel?!"

"It's me," Cas confirmed. He sounded a little worse for wear, but she was just happy that he was alive.

"Where are you?" she asked, her voice cracking a little as she began to weep for joy. "The caller ID said Delacroix, but where?"

"East Jefferson Medical Center, room 128," Cas replied. Seconds later, a light breeze flew through his hospital room as the line went dead and Sara was standing in his hospital room, tears flowing down her face and phone at her side.

"CAS!" she cried, going to his bed. He reached up and wrapped his arms around her as she began to cry again. "Thank Father," she whispered.

"I'm okay," he whispered. Cas inhaled as her hair fell across his face. It smelled of saltwater and rain, but her familiar scent of fresh air and the rose-scented shampoo she liked to use cut through. Sara buried her face in his neck, taking in his scent. Sara sat in his room for 2 hours straight, not really saying much. They just enjoyed each other's company, happy to be together again. She brought him up to speed, and when she was done, Cas grabbed the phone and called Dean.

"Hello?" a frustrated Dean said on the other end of the line.

"Dean?"

"Cas?"

"Is he okay?" they heard Sam say from somewhere near Dean.

"We all thought you were dead," Dean said. "Where the hell are you, man?"

"A hospital," Cas answered.

"Does Sara know where you are?" Dean asked.

"I'm here, Dean," Sara answered.

"What happened to you?" Dean asked as Cas held the phone near both of their ears.

"I guess Gabriel's death finally caught up to me," Sara answered. Cas squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Cas, are you okay?"

"No," Cas answered.

"You wanna elaborate?"

"I just woke up here," Cas explained. "The doctors were fairly surprised. They thought I was brain-dead."

"So...a hospital?" Dean said.

"Apparently," Cas said. "After Van Nuys, I suddenly appeared, bloody and unconscious, on a shrimping boat off Delacroix. I'm told it upset the sailors."

"Uh, well, I gotta tell you man, you're just in time," Dean replied. "We figured out a way to pop Satan's box."

"How?" Sara and Cas both asked.

"It's a long story, but look, we're going after pestilence now," Dean explained. "So, if you want to zap over here..." Sara winced.

"I can't 'zap' anywhere," Cas said, sounding angry at himself.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"You could say my batteries are...are drained," Cas explained.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked again. "You're out of angel mojo?" Tears sprang to Sara's eyes again. She hadn't been able to sense Cas' presence this whole time because his Grace was completely drained of power. Because he rebelled, he had been cut off from Heaven and his power. This included his ability to fly anywhere in the world at any given time.

"I'm saying that I am thirsty and my head aches," Cas ranted. "I have a bug bite that itches no matter how much I scratch it, and I'm saying that I'm just incredibly..."

"Human," Dean finished. "Wow. Sorry."

"Well, my point is I can't go anywhere without money for...an airplane ride. And food. And more pain medication, ideally," Cas continued.

"All right," Dean said. "Wait, Sara, can you carry him with you?"

"I can," Sara replied. "But, we need to get him out of the hospital first, Dean. Otherwise, him just vanishing in this state will only cause confusion and possibly panic, especially if they thought he was brain-dead."

"All right," Dean answered. "Well, look, no worries. Uh, Bobby's here. He'll wire the cash."

"Dean, wait," Cas said. "You said 'no' to Michael. I owe you an apology."

"Cas, it's okay," Dean answered.

"You're not the burnt and broken shell of a man that I believed you to be," Cas continued.

"Thank you," Dean said, sounding a little miffed at the tone. "I appreciate that."

"You're welcome," Cas replied, oblivious to his words as always. He hung up the phone and looked at Sara, who was shaking her head with a bemused smile on her face.

"You probably could have worded that a little better," she said gently.

"I merely told him the truth," Cas said, confused.

"Truth with a grain of salt, Cas," Sara explained. "Next time, just say I'm sorry." Cas nodded, and Sara went to get a nurse.

XXX

The nurses were reluctant to discharge Cas, but Sara worked a little magic – so to speak – and he was out the door with a script for pain medication and referrals to other doctors. With her own examination, Sara discovered that Cas was in absolutely no condition to fly, or "zap", as Dean called it. Seeing just how drained his Grace was made her feel horrible about having any Grace at all. Using the money Bobby had wired them, they got on a plane to fly to Sam and Dean's location, calling them to let them know what was going on just as they were preparing to board. On the way there, Sara confided in him regarding her recent behavior.

"I don't know what's going on, Cas," she said, quietly. "I've never been this...cold-hearted before. I've been quick and efficient, but I've never enjoyed killing." Cas quietly for a few minutes, pondering everything that his mate had just told him.

"Do you suppose it's Kat's absence that is causing you to act this way?" he finally asked.

"The thought crossed my mind, yes," Sara replied. They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Sara sheepishly continued. "You're not mad about the deal?"

"In any other circumstance, I would be angry, yes," Cas said. "Considering you're doing this to protect someone, I'd say that this is very much something you would do in any other situation. Therefore, I cannot be angry at you."

"Yes you can, Cas," Sara replied, but Cas shook his head.

"We both swore our service to Heaven, and Heaven serves mankind. We've both done things that we're not proud of, not because we were ordered to, but because we knew that it was the best course of action. Neither of us are perfect, Sara. We should stop pretending that we are," Cas said gently, grasping her hand and gazing into her eyes. His words comforted her more than she expected, and she snuggled up to him, grateful that he was here.

XXX

When they landed, Cas and Sara made a beeline for the buses. Dean had told them that they were going to Serenity Valley Convalescent Home in Davenport, Iowa, which seemed all too perfect for pestilence to hide out. The closer they got, the more they could sense him. What little Grace Cas had left was protecting him from the long range effects, but Sara knew that the closer they got, the harder it would be for him. She was tempted to make him wait outside, but he heard none of it.

They practically leaped off of the bus outside of the home. Cas started coughing just a little, and Sara got even more worried. Unlike her experience with Famine, Pestilence's presence was the only thing she could feel. Maybe it was the absence of Kat's soul, but right now, she was glad that her friend was at least safe.

They climbed the stairs, following the strength of his presence like a trail of breadcrumbs. In the right room, the found Dean and Sam collapsed on the floor, and Pestilence smiling at them. When he saw the angels, however, he was less than pleased.

"How'd you two get here?" he asked.

"We took a bus," Cas answered. "Don't worry, I..." he started to say, but he collapsed, coughing. Pestilence smiled, and looked at Sara, who didn't even feel a case of the sniffles.

"It's been a long time, Sarakiel," he said. "I honestly didn't expect to see you out and about, what with Michael being in charge and everything."

"Michael doesn't control me anymore than he controls you," Sara spat. He just grinned wider and looked down at a hacking Castiel.

"Well, look at that," he mused. "An occupied vessel, but powerless." Cas hacked again. "Oh, that's facinating. There's not a speck of angel in you, is there?" Cas responded by grabbing Sam's knife and cutting Pestilence's ring and pinky fingers off, causing the horseman to cry out.

"Maybe just a speck," the angel replied. Instantly, every afflicted person in the room felt better as Cas grabbed the third ring. The demon nurse in the room leaped on Cas...and fell on the knife.

"It doesn't matter," Pestilence laughed. "It's too late." The hunters and angels all looked at each other, then at the bloodstained ring sitting on a table.

XXX

Back at Bobby's house, everyone was relaxing for the first time in a while.

"Well, it's nice to actually score a home run for once, ain't it?" Bobby said, trying to be cheerful. No one agreed. "What?"

"Last thing Pestilence said," Sam mused. "It's too late."

"He get specific?" the old hunter asked.

"No," Sam answered.

"We're just a little freaked out that he might have left a bomb somewhere," Dean explained. "So please tell us you have actual good news."

"Chicago's about to be wiped off the map," Bobby said after taking in everyone's worried faces. "Storm of the millennium. Set's off a daisy chain of natural disasters. Three million people are gonna die."

"Huh," Dean grunted.

"I don't understand your definition of good news," Castiel said.

"Well, Death, the horseman," Bobby continued, his tone sassing Cas (which everyone knew would go right over the little angel's head). "He's gonna be there. And if we can stop him before he kick-starts this storm, get his ring back..."

"Yeah, you make it sound so easy," Dean scoffed, sassing Bobby right back.

"Hell, I'm just trying to put a spin on it," Bobby replied. Everyone sighed. Then, Sara frowned.

"Bobby, how'd you put all this together, anyway?" she asked. Normally, she would have peeked into his mind, but she promised herself a long time ago that she would never do that, preferring to hear the truth from the person's own mouth. Bobby shifted uncomfortably in his wheelchair.

"I had...you know...help," he said. There was a clank in the kitchen, and everyone turned to see Crowley filling a whiskey glass.

"Don't be so modest," the demon said. "I barely helped you at all. Hello, boys...and lady. Pleasure, et cetera. Go ahead," he said, focusing on Bobby. "Tell them. There's no shame in it."

"Bobby?" Sam asked, turning back to his surrogate father. "Tell us what?" Everyone looked at Bobby, though most of them knew what he was going to say.

"World's gonna end. Seems stupid to get all precious over one little...soul,"he muttered. The boys looked furious. Cas and Sara, however, were not surprised. They had come to expect this from anyone affiliated with the Winchesters.

"You sold your soul?!" Dean snapped.

"Oh, more like pawned it," Crowley explained. "I fully intend to give it back."

"Well then give it back!" Dean demanded.

"I will."

"NOW!"

"Did you kiss him?" Sam asked.

"Sam!"

"Just wondering." There was a long silence as Bobby looked at everyone around him. They all knew that to seal a deal with a demon, you had to kiss it.

"No!" Bobby said, a little too defensively. Crowley cleared his throat, holding up a picture of him and Bobby kissing that he had on his phone. Bobby internally groaned as everyone looked at it with slight amazement. "Why'd you take a picture?" he asked the demon.

"Why'd you have to use tongue?" Crowley asked in response, looking at the picture. Everyone looked back at the old hunter, not sure what emotion to feel. Finally, Dean stood up.

"All right, you know what? I'm sick of this." He got right in Crowley's face. "Give him his soul back. Now."

"I'm sorry, I can't," Crowley shrugged.

"Can't or won't?"

"I won't, all right? It's insurance, just like your old woman's soul is from her little meat-suit buddy," Crowley said, looking at Sara. Now, it was the Winchester's turn to round on the archangel.

"What's he talking about, Sara?" Sam asked. Sara looked them both dead in the eyes, choosing not to be ashamed about what she did.

"Crowley keeps quiet about where I am, I keep quiet about him. He keeps Kat's soul away from other demons or angels, and when he calls in his one favor, I get it back from him," she said.

"You made a deal with him, too? Cas, did you know about this?" Dean said, stuttering.

"She told me on the way to Davenport, yes," Cas replied. "We're bonded, Dean. We keep no secrets from each other."

"You clearly have no problem keeping secrets from us," Sam snapped.

"Your reaction would have been the same then as it is now," Sara replied, keeping her voice even. "I'm doing what I have to do to keep Kat safe."

"By giving her to a demon? Yeah, working real well, Sarakiel," Dean spat. Sara stood upright and stared Dean down.

"Crowley, give me the vial," she said, walking over to the demon.

"We had a deal," he reminded her.

"And I'm amending only one thing," she replied, holding her hand out. They had a staring match for a full 30 seconds before Crowley handed the vial over. Sara pulled Kat's rings off her left hand, which she had kept on there for Dean's sake. Placing them on top of the cork, she covered them with her hand. There was a glow between her fingers for a few seconds, and when she pulled them off, both rings were joined with the vial, and Enochian symbols covered the outside of the gold bands. "Dean holds her soul," she said. "When this is over and you call in your favor, the rings will separate, allowing the vial to be opened. Dean, when that happens, call me, no matter what, and I'll come running. That's a promise." She held the vial out to the older brother, who gingerly took it in his hands. A strange calm came over his face, as if just being near his wife's soul was making him feel better about everything.

"How can I be sure?" Crowley asked.

"Had any demons knocking on your door?" Sara fired back. Crowley inclined his head, showing that he trusted her. Dean, coming out of the reverie of having Kat's soul at least close to him again, rounded back on the demon.

"What about Bobby's soul?" he asked. "Insurance from what?"

"You kill demons," Crowley growled. "Gigantor over there has a temper issue about it. But you won't kill me, as long as I have that soul in the deposit box."

"You son of a bitch," Bobby snarled.

"I'll return it," Crowley said. "After all this is over, and I can walk safely away. Do we understand each other?"

XXX

Thanks to more digging from Crowley, who was proving his commitment to their cause with every action, they discovered that Brady had been the VP of Distribution for Niveus Pharmaceuticals. They were going to ship the Croatoan virus out in truckloads disguised as swine flu vaccine. It was genius, and very well thought out. But, they still had to go after Death.

So they decided to split up.

"This is not a good idea," Sara said, helping Dean load up Baby.

"You've said that, already," Dean answered. "Besides, Cas will be fine."

"It's not Cas I'm worried about, Dean. It's about your brother and Bobby. I mean, I know the whole saying-yes-to-Lucifer thing is our only course of action, but this? Going in to a warehouse most likely full of demons with a crippled hunter, a former demon-blood junkie, and an angel who barely has enough Grace to call himself an angel doesn't sound like a safe bet to me," Sara ranted, slamming things down in the trunk. "Besides, we're going after Death...the most dangerous of the horseman."

"Your outlook is so uplifting, Sara," Dean scoffed. Sara frowned at him, then realized how mopey she sounded.

"You're right. I'm not helping the mood here," she said. "Sorry."

"Ehh, don't be. I doubt anything could really be uplifting at this point," Dean said, patting her shoulder. "And hey, I'm sorry for how I acted back there...with Crowley. I know you were only doing what you thought was best."

"Thanks, Dean. I'll try to communicate more with you in the future," Sara said with a smile. They walked over to the van together, where Cas, Bobby, and Sam were waiting.

"All right, well...good luck stopping the whole zombie apocalypse," Dean said.

"Yeah. Good luck killing Death," Sam replied.

"Yeah." Cas and Sara embraced each other.

"Be careful," she whispered.

"You, too," he whispered back. The two of them shared a loving kiss, then without warning, Sara plunged her hand into Cas' chest, causing him to cry out in pain.

"I'm not leaving you with nothing, Castiel," she said, her voice laced with power as her eyes glowed blue. She forced some of her Grace into his body, then wrenched her hand out. Cas glowed gold for a second as his vessel adjusted to the power that was just given to him. "You come back to me, you hear?" she said, tearing up.

"Sarakiel," Cas said, still a little stunned. Finally, he grinned and cupped her face with both hands. "It's a promise." With that little moment over, Sam turned to his brother, handing him Ruby's knife.

"You might need this."

"Keep it," Crowley said, appearing from nowhere. "Dean's covered." He handed Dean a small scythe. "Death's own. Kills, golly, demons and angels and reapers and, rumor has it, the very thing itself," he explained. Cas and Sara were both afraid and in awe.

"How did you get that?" Cas asked.

"Hello? King of the crossroads?" Crowley said, shrugging. "Shall we?" He started to turn away, then looked at Bobby. "Bobby? You just gonna sit there?"

"No, I'm gonna Riverdance," Bobby replied, sarcasically.

"I suppose if you want to impress the ladies," Crowley said. When everyone else looked at him for the casual, not-sarcastic response, he continued. "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby...really wasted that crossroads deal. Fact: you get more if you phrase it properly. So, I took the liberty of adding a teeny little sub-a clause on your behalf. What can I say? I'm an altruist. Just gonna sit there?" Everyone watched as Bobby looked down...moved his foot...and stood up. Everyone's jaw hit the floor. No one was surprised that Crowley could do that, they were more surprised that he DID it.

"Son of a bitch," Bobby said, just a surprised as anyone.

"Yes, I know," Crowley said with a satisfied grin. "Completely worth your soul. I'm a hell of a guy."

"Thanks," Bobby said softly, still in awe.

"This is getting maudlin," Crowley commented. "Can we go?" Sara gave Cas, Bobby, and Sam one last hug before getting into the Impala with Dean and Crowley.

XXX

On the way to Chicago, Sarakiel told them everything she knew about Death.

"I've dealt with the Horseman before," she explained. "It's been a few millennia since the last time, but from what I remember, Death was the only one that we let do as he pleased, provided he did not stray from his responsibilities."

"What responsibilities?" Dean asked.

"Where there is life, there is death," Sara replied. "As far as the Horseman are concerned, Death is the oldest by...well...I'm not sure. Of the four of them, I've always found him to be the sanest, most amiable. He finds pleasure in the simple things, but I guess if all you deal with is death, then you really get an idea of what makes you happy."

They parked on a side street in Chicago and followed Crowley to an old warehouse.

"Hey, let's stop for pizza," Crowley said as they walked.

"Are you kidding?" Dean asked.

"Just heard it was good, that's all," Crowley replied. They stopped about a hundred yards from the warehouse. "Up ahead," he said. "Big, ugly building. Ground zero. Horseman's stable, if you will. He's in there."

"How do you know?" Dean asked.

"Have you met me?" Crowley asked, sounding a little offended. "'Cause I know. Also, the block is squirming with reapers." Dean looked at Sara.

"He's not lying," Sara confirmed, looking around. Although Dean couldn't see it, there were easily a hundred reapers standing around, all facing the building. There was something off, though. She couldn't sense Death.

"I'll be right back," Crowley said, and vanished. But, he came back seconds later. "Boy, is my face red. Death's not in there."

"You want to cut the cute and get to the part where you tell me where he is?" Dean snapped as Crowley walked past him and Sara.

"Sorry, I don't know," Crowley shrugged.

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dean said, stopping the demon. "You don't know?"

"Signs pointed," Crowley stammered. "I'm just as shocked as you."

"Bobby sold his soul for this!" Dean shouted.

"Relax," Crowley snapped. "All deals are soul back or store credit. We'll catch death in the next doomed city."

"Millions, Crowley," Dean said. "Millions of people are about to die any minute."

"True," Crowley replied. "So, I strongly suggest we get out of here."

They headed back to the Impala, but Sara was still searching the city as they walked. Without warning, she walked toward a pizzeria. The closer she got, the more she felt a sense of foreboding. Acting on instinct, she went around the back and went inside.

People were lying on the floor, dead, all around her. He was here.

"O Death," she started singing. "O Death. O Death. Won't you spare me over another year?"

"I always did enjoy your voice, Sarakiel," someone said from the dining area. Sara looked in an saw a solitary figure in black, sitting with his back to her.

"Always the gentleman," Sara commented, walking toward him. "How's the pizza?"

"Wonderful," he replied. Sara came around the table and looked at him. Death was in the form of a skinny, older man with dark hair and an almost sunken-in face, wearing the black suit and tie that she often saw male reapers wearing. He showed very little emotion, but Sara was glad to see that he was at least pleased to see her. "I would ask you to join me, but..."

"You're waiting for someone," Sara finished. Just then, she heard the back door squeak slightly, and almost non-existent footsteps coming from the kitchen. Seconds later, she saw Dean creeping in, scythe in hand. Death returned to his pizza and waited for Dean to come closer. 15 feet away, the scythe grew hot in his hand and he dropped it on the floor with a loud clank. Dean froze and looked at Sara, who looked right back at him.

"Thanks for returning that," Death said, not turning around. Dean looked down to see the scythe gone. When he looked back up, it was on the table next to the horseman. "Join me, Dean. The pizza's delicious." Dean hesitantly walked to the table, looking at Sara. Sara merely nodded and stepped aside to let the hunter sit down. "Took you long enough to find me," Death commented. "I've been wanting to talk to you." Dean sat down, not taking his eyes off of Death.

"I got to say...I have mixed feelings about that," Dean said. "S...so is this part where...where you kill me?"

"You have an inflated sense of your importance," Death said. "To a thing like me, a thing like you...well...Think how you'd feel if a bacterium sat at your table and started getting snarky. This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that's barely out of it's diapers. I'm old, Dean. Very old. So, I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you." As he spoke, he placed a piece of pizza on a plate, and slid it towards Dean. "Eat." Dean slowly picked up silverware, cut a bite of pizza off, and placed it in his mouth. "Good, isn't it?" Death asked, not taking his eyes off o Dean. Once Dean realized that it wasn't poison, he spoke again.

"Well, I gotta ask...how old are you?"

"As old as God. Maybe older," Death said, returning to his pizza. "Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg. Regardless...at the end, I'll reap him, too."

"God?" Dean asked. "You'll reap God?"

"Oh yes," Death answered. "God will die, too, Dean." Dean looked at Sara, who shrugged.

"Well, this is way above my pay grade," Dean commented.

"Just a bit," Death agreed.

"So, then why am I still breathing?" Dean asked. "What do you want?"

"This leash around my neck: off," Death said, getting serious. Looking closer, Sara saw the spell binding Death to her brother. "Lucifer has me bound to him. Some unseemly little spell."

"I wouldn't say little," Sara commented, looking closer. Death looked up at her, a little surprised. "When your vessel's a witch," she explained. Death nodded slightly, then let her get a better look at the leash. It wasn't a literal leash, but she could see the intricate spellwork woven into the bond. "This is blood magick," Sara said. "Old...and very powerful. Lucifer really pulled out all the stops to bind you."

"And I've had it up to my ears with him," Death replied, getting increasingly annoyed. "He has me where he wants, when he wants. That's why I couldn't go to you, Dean. I had to wait for you to catch up. He made me his weapon. Hurricanes, floods, raising the dead. I'm more powerful than you can process, and I'm enslaved to a bratty child with a temper tantrum."

"And you think...I can unbind you?" Dean asked.

"There's your ridiculous bravado again," Death said, his tone very dry. "Of course you can't. But, you can help me take the bullets out of Lucifer's gun." He held up his hand, displaying his ring with a pale white stone. "I understand you want this."

"Yeah," Dean confirmed.

"I'm inclined to give it to you," Death said.

"To give it to me?"

"That's what I said."

"But what about..."

"Chicago?" Death looked around. Outside, it was a complete downpour, escalating to tropical storm proportions. "I suppose it can stay. I like the pizza." He put a hand on his ring, but looked Dean directly in the eye. "There are conditions."

"Okay. Like?" Dean asked.

"You have to do whatever it takes to put Lucifer in his cell," Death said.

"Of course," Dean said.

"Whatever it takes," Death said again.

"That's the plan," Dean said, trying to reassure him.

"No," Death said. "No plan. Not yet. Your brother. He's the one that can stop Lucifer. The only one." Sara held her breath. She knew exactly what he was talking about, and she knew that Dean wasn't completely on board with this plan yet.

"What, you think..." Dean began.

"I know," Death interrupted. "So, I need a promise. You're going to let your brother jump right into that fiery pit. Well, do I have your word?" Sara looked at Dean, praying that he would say the right thing.

"Okay, yeah. Yes," Dean finally said.

"That had better be yes, Dean," Death said, handing Dean his ring. Outside, the storm subsided quickly. "You know you can't cheat death. Now, would you like the instruction manual?"

XXX

Dean and Sara returned to Bobby's to find the other three alive and well. Sara and Cas flew off to a secluded part of a mountain forest and made passionate love. Every moment was savored by both angels, since they were coming closer to the end of the world. They shifted between making love and rough sex, going long into the night. Though Cas was cut off from heaven, being with his mate energized him more than his Grace ever could. Looking back, Sara would realize that the need to be with Cas stemmed from her fear of losing him. In the moment, the two just made love again and again. They weren't completely done until the sun was rising, and the boys were wondering where they were. Before they returned, Sara and Cas made a final promise to each other.

"Together," Sara whispered, pressing her forehead to Cas'.

"Or not at all," was his whispered reply.


	27. Will Things Ever be the Same Again?

I do not own Supernatural. I own Sarakiel and Kat. Contains dialogue and action from Season 5, Episode 22: Swan Song.

When Cas and Sara returned, things were...tense. Sam and Dean were leaning on Baby's hood, talking and drinking beers.

"Where've you two been?" Dean asked when the angels arrived.

"Do you really want the answer to that question?" Sara asked. Dean opened his mouth, and realized what that meant, so he took another swig and stayed silent. "Sam? How you feeling?"

"Nervous," Sam replied. "But...sure that this is the best way."

"For everyone's sake, I hope you're right," Sara said, grabbing a beer from a nearby cooler for herself. The malted liquid was never a preference of hers, but at this point, she needed something to take the edge off.

"Anyway, we need to make some headway on the demon blood," Dean said. "Bobby got a lead on some demons sitting around nearby, so let's head that way."

XXX

Inside of a building, Cas and Sam bled the two demons, producing several jugs of demon blood for Sam to drink.

"I still can't get used to you at eye level," Dean said to Bobby, who was standing nearby.

"So I was right?" Bobby asked.

"As always, Yoda," Dean replied. "Two stunt demons inside, just like you said."

"Did you get it?"

"Yeah, all the 'go-juice' Sammy can drink," Dean said, though he didn't seem thrilled by the notion. No one was.

"You okay?" Bobby said, picking up on Dean's displeasure.

"Not really," Dean said, honestly. "What do you got?"

"Not much," Bobby replied, handing Dean a newspaper. "These look like omens to you? Cyclone in Florida, temperature drop in Detroit, wildfires in L.A."

"Wait...what about Detroit?" Dean asked. Sara walked over, reading the paper over Dean's shoulder.

"Temp's dropped about 20 degrees, but only in a five-block radius of downtown Motown," Bobby answered.

"That's the one," Dean said. "Devil's in Detroit."

"Really?" Bobby asked, skeptical. "As far as foreboding goes, it's a little light in the loafers."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Dean answered, certain.

The hunters and the angels piled into Baby and left for Detroit, Michigan. On the way there, Cas ended up falling asleep.

"Aw," Dean commented. "Ain't he a little angel?"

"Angels don't sleep," Sam pointed out. That worried Dean, and Sara right along with him.

"Sam, I got a bad feeling about this," Dean said.

"Well, you'd be nuts to have a good feeling about it," Sam said.

"You know what I mean," Dean said emphatically. "He always said he'd jump your bones in Detroit. Here we are."

"Here we are," Sam agreed.

"Maybe this is him, rolling out the red carpet, you know?" Dean pointed out. "Maybe he knows something we don't."

"Dean, I'm sure he knows a buttload we don't," Sam agreed. "We just got to hope he doesn't know about the rings."

"I wouldn't put anything past him," Sara said. "Lucifer was always crafty. He seemed to know things he shouldn't. Dad never liked it, but there was no way to really keep him from anything."

"That's reassuring," Sam said. "But, on that subject, there's something I got to talk to you about, Dean."

"What?"

"This thing goes our way and...I triple lindy into that box...You know I'm not coming back." Sam began.

"Yeah, I'm aware," Dean said.

"So, you got to promise me something," Sam said solemnly.

"Okay, yeah, anything."

"You got to promise not to try to bring me back." Dean almost slammed on the brakes.

"What?" he asked his brother, confused and horrified. "No, I didn't sign up for that."

"Dean..."

"Your hell is gonna make my tour look like Graceland," Dean said. "You want me to just sit by and do nothing?"

"Once the Cage is shut, you can't go poking at it, Dean," Sam explained. "It's too risky!"

"No, no, no, no," Dean said, shaking his head. "As if I'm just gonna let you rot in there."

"Yeah, you are," Sam said with finality. "You don't have a choice."

"You can't ask me to do this," Dean pleaded with Sam.

"Dean, Sam's right," Sara said from the back seat. "Give Lucifer even an inch of an open door, and he'll burst through it like a tidal wave. Sam's ready and willing to make this sacrifice, and the best thing you can do...as a brother...is support him." Dean was silent for a few minutes, taking in Sam and Sara's words.

"So then what am I supposed to do?" Dean said finally.

"Focus on a way to get Kat free," Sam said. "When she's free, you two find somewhere quiet an live some normal, apple-pie life. Dean, promise me." Dean couldn't say anything.

XXX

They reached Detroit the next night. They found the building that was the epicenter of the temperature drop. Bobby was scouting the building using binoculars. Once he saw something that satisfied him, he came back to the group.

"Demons," he said. "At least two dozen of them. You were right – something's up."

"More than something," Dean said, looking toward the building. "He's here. I know it." He walked around to the trunk of the Impala as Sam turned to the rest of them.

"I'll see ya around, kid," Bobby said.

"See ya around," Sam replied. The two of them hugged.

"He gets in, you fight him tooth and nail, you understand?" Bobby instructed. "Keep swingin'. Don't give an inch."

"Yes, sir," Sam said, nodding. He then turned to the angels, holding his hand out to Cas. "Take care of these guys, okay?"

"That's not possible," Cas said, giving his ever-literal reply.

"Then humor me," Sam replied, trying not to be completely exasperated with his reply.

"Oh," Cas said, coming to a realization. "I was supposed to lie...uh...sure, they'll be fine."

"Just...just stop talking," Sam said, deciding to walk away. Before he did, however, Sara grabbed him and pulled him into a hug.

"I'll look out for them," she said. "I promise." Sam hesitated for a second, then hugged her back.

"Thanks, Sara," he said softly. When they broke apart, he walked to the trunk of the impala, where Dean had opened the jugs of demon blood. "You mind not watching this?" he said to his brother. Dean obliged, walking away and putting his back toward Sam.

A few minutes later, Sam came around to the rest of the group, clearing his throat.

"Okay, let's go," he said. Dean and Sam walked into the building, alone. All the rest of them could do was pray.

They were completely expecting Dean to come out alone, looking heartbroken. However, when he came out looking distraught and horrified, they all got worried.

"What happened?" Sara asked.

"Lucifer won," Dean said, still a little out of breath.

They went to a nearby store window to watch the multiple TVs. Sure enough, things were happening all over the world.

"It's starting," Cas said.

"You think, genius?" Dean scoffed.

"You don't have to be mean," Cas said, a little hurt.

"So what do we do now?" Dean asked after a non-verbal apology to Cas.

"I suggest we imbibe copious quantities of alcohol...just wait for the inevitable blast wave," Cas said.

"As amazing as that sounds, dear," Sara commented. "I don't think that's what Dean had in mind."

"Thank you," Dean said, looking at Sara. "I mean, how do we stop it?"

"We don't," Cas said. "Lucifer will meet Michael on the chosen field, and the battle of Armageddon begins."

"Cas, even we know that prophecy can be changed, especially when it involves us," Sara said. "If I know Lucifer and Michael, they don't want to fight each other any more than we want them to. But, Michael will still go through with it. Lucifer may try to walk away, since God wanted this fight, but I don't see Michael budging an inch."

"There has to be something we can do," Dean added. "Well, where is this chosen field?"

"I don't know," Cas said, getting a little annoyed. "I'm sorry, Dean. This is over."

"You listen to me, you junkless sissy," Dean said, getting angry. "We are not giving up. Bobby?" He looked over at his surrogate father, who was looking just as helpless as Cas. "Bobby!"

"There was never much hope to begin with," Bobby said. "I don't know what to do." Dean just stormed outside. Sara looked at the other two and frowned.

"You said there wasn't much hope to begin with," she said, looking at Bobby. "That means there is still some iota of hope left. And you, you may have no mojo left, but you still report to me, Castiel. We're going to figure something out, and I'm not accepting anything less than even the crappiest plan we can come up with, is that clear?" The old hunter and the angel were both surprised at her outburst, but she stood her ground and followed Dean.

When she found him, he was on the phone with someone.

"Did you see where the title fight goes down?" Dean asked the person on the other end.

"The angels are keeping it secret," said the voice in the phone. "Very hush-hush."

"Chuck?" Sara mouthed. Dean nodded and put it on speaker phone.

"Well, crap," Dean said.

"But, I saw it anyway," Chuck said. "Perks of being a prophet. It's tomorrow, high noon...place called Stull Cemetery."

"Stull cem...wait, I know that," Dean realized. "That's an old boneyard outside of Lawrence. Why Lawrence?"

"I don't know," Chuck replied. "It all has to end where it started, I guess."

"Chuck, it's Sara," Sara piped in. "Were you able to glean a way to stop all of this?"

"Hi Sara," Chuck replied. "Besides the rings to the cage? No, I''m sorry."

"Any idea what's gonna happen next?" Dean asked.

"I wish I did, but I...just...I honestly don't know yet," Chuck answered. Something in his answer made Sara unsure that he was telling the complete truth, but Dean didn't let her push the issue.

"All right, thanks, Chuck," Dean said, and he hung up.

"Dean, what're you thinking?" Sara asked.

"Stull's at least a place to start. We can figure out the rest later," Dean replied. She helped him get ready, but right as they were getting ready to go, Bobby and Cas came outside.

"You goin' someplace?" Bobby asked. "You're going to do somethin' stupid. You got that look."

"I'm gonna go talk to Sam," Dean said.

"You just don't give up," Bobby said wearily.

"It's Sam!"

"If you couldn't reach him here, you're certainly not gonna be able to on the battlefield," Cas said.

"Well, if we've already lost, I guess I got nothing to lose, right?" Dean replied.

"I just want you to understand...the only thing that you're gonna see out there is Michael killing your brother," Cas continued.

"Unless Lucifer wins," Sara said.

"Sara," Cas said, looking at his mate with shock.

"I'm just saying," Sara said, shrugging. "Everything is up in the air right now. It is completely plausible for Lucifer to win. We don't know what he's been doing in the cage all this time."

"Either way, I'm not gonna let him die alone," Dean said. He got in the Impala, and Sara got in with him.

"Sara, you're really going along with this?" Bobby asked.

"I've already lost one brother to this mess. If I can avoid losing either of them...as much as I hate them both...then I'm going to avoid it," Sara said. "You two are either coming with us or staying here."

XXX

They made record time to Lawrence, Kansas, just making it before noon. They went in a back way to the cemetery, and waited until they could both see Lucifer and Michael getting ready. Dean fired Baby up and popped in a Def Leppard album, cranking "Rock of Ages". They crept forward and stopped a few feet from both of them. They simultaneously opened the doors and stepped out of the car.

"Howdy boys," Dean said. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?" He shut the door and walked toward his brother. "Hey, we need to talk."

"Dean," Lucifer said. "Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid."

"I'm not talking to you," Dean snapped. "I'm talking to Sam."

"You're not longer the vessel, Dean," Michael growled. "You've got no right to be here. And you, little sister, have even less right to be here."

"Michael, since when have you ever been able to completely control me? Do you forget who was running Heaven until you decided to overthrow me?" Sara fired back. Michael just glared at her, staying silent.

"Adam, if you're in there somewhere, I am so sorry," Dean said.

"Adam isn't home right now," Michael said mockingly.

"Well, then you're next on my list, buttercup," Dean replied. "But right now, I need five minutes with him."

"You little maggot," Michael snarled. "You're no longer a part of this story!" He started walking toward Dean, when a familiar gravelly voice cut through the air.

"Hey! Assbut!" Everyone turned to see Castiel standing there with a lit molotov cocktail in his hand. Bobby was a few feet behind him, looking antsy. Cas launched the cocktail at Michael. When it exploded, everyone realized that there had been holy oil in the bottle. Michael let out a scream as he was burned by the holy fire, and he vanished. Everyone was shocked, but Sara was more scared than anything. That alone was not enough to stop Michael, and when her brother came back, he would be livid.

"Assbut?" Dean asked Cas, confused.

"He'll be back, and upset, but you got your five minutes," Cas said.

"Castiel," Lucifer said, his voice dangerously low. "Did you just molotov my brother with holy fire?" Cas started backing up, nervous.

"Uh...no," he stammered.

"Nobody dicks with Michael but me," Lucifer growled. He raised his hand to snap his fingers.

"NO!" Sara screamed, but she didn't get to her brother in time. Lucifer snapped his fingers, and Cas exploded in a rain of blood and flesh.

Sara stared at the spot where Cas had been moments before, still in shock. She slowly walked over to the spot, and touched a spot in the dirt still wet with blood.

"Sara," Lucifer said. "He molotoved our brother." Sara didn't answer. Instead, she stood up and drew her angel blade. She began to glow with immense power, but when she turned around, neither Dean nor Lucifer liked what they saw.

She was glowing silver, with her gray eyes glowing the same color. Lucifer saw her normally bright-white wings now shining raven black.

"Fuck Michael," she spat, her voice laced with her power. "Fuck Heaven, and fuck you. All of you have done nothing but cause me pain and suffering. I'll pull Sam out from Hell myself when I'm done, but right now, I'm gonna tear you to pieces, you winged rat!" With that, she lunged for Lucifer, who barely managed to defend himself. While he didn't need a blade, he was still finding it difficult to not take any type of damage.

Dean watched the battle with horror plastered all over his face. Sarakiel had completely transformed. The little glimpses of the wicked side of her that he'd seen were who she was deep down, and seeing Cas be killed right in front of her broke what little control she'd had left. She would literally destroy Sam/Lucifer, and probably do Michael's job for him. Suddenly, the inner pocket of his jacket was getting warm. He reached inside, and his fingers closed around a familiar glass tube. It was the spelled vial containing his wife's soul. He pulled it out and had to squint. Kat's soul was shining brighter than usual, and seemed to be pushing against the cork and her rings. Dean looked at it for a minute, then an idea grabbed him. Looking up, he saw Sara going for a downward slash with her blade. Saying a small prayer, Dean threw the vial in the blade's path. Everything seemed to slow down. By the time Sara saw the vial, her blade made contact with the glass.

It shattered.

Kat's soul flew around for a second or two, and then plunged into her body's chest. Sara was knocked backwards about 5 yards and was still.

XXX

Inside Kat's mind, the little witch was facing down what was probably her worst nightmare: her friend. But, it wasn't the friend that she knew and loved.

Sarakiel stood in front of her, dressed in black armor with raven-feathered wings and jet black hair. An obsidian sword was in her hand, and her Grace glowed silver. Kat wasn't sure what she was looking at, but she was sure of one thing: this was not Sarakiel.

"Sara," she called. "It's me. It's Kat." Sara looked at her, and then launched herself at her. Kat dove out of the way, looking around for something to use as a weapon. There was nothing lying around. They were just in a white room. Sara launched herself at Kat again, bringing her black sword down on her with a cry. Kat closed her eyes and threw up her arm to shield herself, ready for the end to come. With a clang, Sara's sword clashed with one that appeared in Kat's hand.

"What did you do?" Sara asked, confused and backing away.

"I don't know," Kat replied. "But I'm gonna go with it." She stood up and adopted what felt like a good ready stance. They began to fight, with Kat doing just enough to protect herself. She remembered that Sara was a warrior with literal millennia of experience, so the fact that she wasn't dead yet was all good in her mind.

Wait, that's it! We're in my mind! Kat realized. With a fast thought, she brought them to her grove. Catching a parry, she looked around. Sara stopped and did the same. As her friend looked around, Kat dropped her sword.

"Do you remember this place?" she asked, softly. "This place we used to come to in my dreams? We talked for so long, here. All the fun we had, the memories we shared. This place is a good place for both of us, Sara. Please, remember." A look of slight realization came over Sara, enough to make her drop her weapon as well. As soon as she did, Kat ran up behind her and grabbed her, locking her in an embrace.

"BOLP FETHARSI PASBS OIAD" (Be thou at peace, Daughter of God), Kat intoned, rattling off the Enochian as if it were her first language. Sara, who had been fighting to release herself from her grasp, suddenly started screaming. The spell was taking effect. Slowly, Sara dropped to her knees, with Kat still hugging her. The glow became gold, and her hair went back to it's soft brown color. The armor faded, and her wings went back to their brilliant white color. Once she calmed down, Kat slowly let her go and walked around to face her friend. Her eyes had returned to their stormy gray that was so similar to Kat's.

"Kat?" Sara said softly, her voice cracking a little. Tears leaped into Kat's eyes as she pounced on her friend, embracing her lovingly. Sara hugged her friend back, glad to be back to her old self. "Kat, I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm sorry for everything."

"I'm just glad you're back, Sara," Kat replied, her voice cracking. The two hugged for a few minutes, and when they separated, they just smiled.

"Where will you go?" Kat finally asked.

"Back to heaven, I guess. Assuming Michael's gone, Raphael will be the only one left up there, so someone needs to maintain order," Sara replied. Just as she said that, she started glowing.

"Sara?"

"I don't know!" With a flash of bright light, Sara vanished, and Kat opened her eyes.

XXX

Kat's eyes snapped open. She was lying on her back, looking up at the sky. Everything was quiet, which worried her. Slowly, she sat up and looked around.

Sam and Adam/Michael were nowhere to be seen, and neither was Dean. The first face she saw was Cas, standing over someone on the other side of the Impala. Taking mental note of her body's reaction, she slowly stood up and walked toward the car. Cas caught her eye and actually smiled.

"Cas? You're alive?" she said.

"I'm better than that," he said. "Someone will be very happy to see you." She looked over the side of the car and saw Dean getting up.

"Dean?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey Sara," Dean said. Then, he got a better look. Kat's eyes were practically glittering with tears, but the way she was looking at him, and the way she was holding herself were suddenly a dead giveaway. "Kat?" he asked, his voice hopeful. All Kat could do was nod, and she found herself lifted into Dean's arms with a passionate strength that made her burst into tears. Their lips crushed together in a kiss that even warmed Bobby Singer's heart. When they broke apart, Dean held Kat close, pressing their foreheads together.

"I thought I'd never get you back," he said softly.

"I missed you, too," she replied. Dean finally put her down and the two looked at Cas...and were surprised to see Sara standing there as well.

"Sara?!" Kat exclaimed, happy but confused to see her friend.

"I...don't have an explanation for you, Kat," Sara replied. "I'm just in a vessel...but there's no soul in here to begin with."

"Wow," Dean said, marveling at what he was seeing. Deciding it was time to go, Cas, Kat, and Dean piled into the impala, while Bobby hopped into his truck to go back home. Dean spent the first few miles getting Sara and Kat caught up.

"What are you gonna do now?" Dean asked Cas as they drove down the road.

"Return to Heaven, I suppose," Cas said.

"Heaven?"

"With Michael in the cage, I'm sure it's total anarchy up there," Sara replied. "Someone has to take charge."

"So, what, you two are the new sheriffs in town?" Kat asked.

"I like that," Cas commented.

"I guess we are," Sara said.

"Wow," Dean said. "God gives you a brand-new, shiny set of wings, and suddenly you're his bitch again."

"We don't know what God wants," Cas replied. "We don't know if he'll even return. It just...seems like the right thing to do."

"Well, if you do see him, you tell him I'm coming for him, next," Dean said.

"You're angry," Cas commented.

"That's an understatement," Kat said.

"He helped," Sara pointed out. "Maybe even more than we realize."

"That's easy for you to say," Dean snapped. "He brought you back. But what about Sam? What about me, huh? Where's my grand prize? All I got was my brother in a hole!"

"You got me," Kat said, her voice small. Dean mentally punched himself in the nuts, and reached beside him to take his wife's hand.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"You got what you asked for, Dean," Cas said. "No paradise, no hell. Just more of the same. I mean it, Dean. What would you rather have? Peace or freedom?" Dean looked in the mirror at the angels in the back, but they were gone.

"You really suck at goodbyes, you know that?" Dean said to no one in particular. He spent the rest of the drive holding Kat's hand.

XXX

Dean, Kat, and Bobby all said their goodbyes, and Kat showed Dean to a house that her grandmother had left her in a will. She had paid someone to clean it and take care of it while she was traveling, but she had made the call to finish the service. Dean had a promise to make Sam, and he and Kat were going to do the best that they could. There was no food in the house, but that was going to be left for the morning. For right now, they were going to spend the night being husband and wife.

And that was something that both of them were completely content doing.


End file.
